The U.S. military's capture of the Aquila II tanker carrying Venezuelan oil highlights ongoing challenges with shadow fleets evading sanctions. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed to pursue such vessels "by land, air, or sea," but current enforcement methods prove insufficient against sophisticated smuggling networks operating globally.

Simply chasing tankers at sea fails to address the financial infrastructure enabling sanctions evasion. A new report by the China Strategic Risks Institute documents how Hong Kong entities facilitate these operations. The Treasury Department must target the corporate and financial networks supporting these vessels, not just the ships themselves.

Effective sanctions enforcement requires disrupting the financial lifelines of shadow fleets rather than relying solely on military interdiction. The Venezuelan and Russian oil trade continues through complex corporate structures in Hong Kong and other financial hubs. Until this financial infrastructure is addressed, sanctions will remain porous despite military victories at sea.