Why the U.S. took Captain Avtandil Kalandadze from Scotland to face trial for oil sanctions

The U.S. Coast Guard moved Captain Avtandil Kalandadze onto a ship called the USCGC Munro. This happened even though a Scottish judge told him to stay in the UK.
By Newsroom | Maritime Law, Scotland |

A complex legal and diplomatic disagreement has emerged following the removal of Avtandil Kalandadze, the captain of a seized oil tanker, from Scottish jurisdiction. The U.S. Coast Guard took the Georgian national and his first officer from UK waters aboard the vessel USCGC Munro just as a Scottish court issued an order to prevent their departure. The U.S. Department of Justice intends to prosecute the men for their roles in transporting sanctioned Venezuelan oil. While the UK government provided operational support for the seizure, Scottish leaders claim they were not fully informed of the move. The incident has raised questions about international law and the rights of crew members when global sanctions are enforced within the territory of an ally.

Chronology of the Maritime Pursuit and Seizure

The events leading to the captain's removal involve a weeks-long operation in the North Atlantic.

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U.S. Indicts Captain of an Oil Tanker the Coast Guard Chased for Weeks - 1

  • December 2025: The U.S. begins tracking the Bella 1, a tanker linked to Venezuelan oil exports. The ship later changes its name to the Marinera and flies a Russian flag.

  • January 7, 2026: U.S. Navy SEALs and Coast Guard teams board the vessel south of Iceland. The ship is moved to the Moray Firth in Scotland for safety and supplies.

  • Late January 2026: The Marinera sits in Scottish waters while the U.S. and UK discuss the crew’s fate. Legal representatives for the captain’s wife, Natia Dzadzama, file a petition to stop his removal.

  • January 27–28, 2026: A Scottish judge, Lord Young, grants an emergency order to keep the captain in Scotland. However, the U.S. Department of Justice notifies Scottish authorities that the captain is already on a U.S. ship and has left UK territory.

Documented Facts and Key Figures

The following data outlines the participants and the legal status of the crew involved in the operation.

SubjectDetails
Vessel NameMarinera (formerly Bella 1)
Primary IndividualsCaptain Avtandil Kalandadze; First Officer (unnamed)
Legal RepresentativeAamer Anwar (representing the captain's wife)
Crew Status26 total; 5 to the U.S.; 21 repatriated or relocated
JurisdictionSeized in international waters; held in Moray Firth, Scotland
U.S. VesselUSCGC Munro (Coast Guard Cutter)

"The United States and the United Kingdom are coordinating regarding the status, processing, and prospective repatriation of crew members." — U.S. Embassy Statement

The core conflict centers on whether the U.S. bypassed Scottish legal processes by moving the captain before a court order could be enforced.

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Conflict of Jurisdictions

Lawyers for the captain argued that he was being held "unlawfully" and that his human rights were at risk if taken to the U.S. without a formal extradition hearing. On a Monday night, Lord Young granted an "interim interdict" to stop the removal. However, by Tuesday morning, the U.S. reported the captain was already on the USCGC Munro. Because the men were no longer in UK waters, the Scottish court had to revoke its order. Did the timing of the transfer intentionally avoid the court's ruling? This remains a central point of debate among legal observers.

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International Sanctions and Maritime Law

The U.S. claims authority to seize the ship because it was involved in a "shadow fleet" meant to bypass sanctions on Venezuela. The vessel was "interdicted" in international waters before being brought to Scotland. This raises a question: once a seized ship enters the territorial waters of a friendly nation, does that nation's local law take over, or does the original seizing power maintain control?

U.S. Indicts Captain of an Oil Tanker the Coast Guard Chased for Weeks - 3

Internal UK Political Tension

Scottish First Minister John Swinney expressed concern that the Scottish government was "left in the dark" about the operation. While the UK Ministry of Defence and the Home Office supported the U.S., the regional government in Edinburgh was not part of the early planning. This has led to public disagreements between Scottish and UK officials regarding "proper lines of communication" during international military operations.

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Aamer Anwar, the lawyer representing the captain's family, described the removal as a "disregard for the rule of law." He argued that the U.S. had no lawful authority to arrest individuals within Scotland without following local procedures.

U.S. Indicts Captain of an Oil Tanker the Coast Guard Chased for Weeks - 4

In contrast, U.S. officials maintain that the operation was a lawful seizure of a sanctioned asset and its leadership. Ruth Charteris KC, representing the Scottish ministers, confirmed to the court that the individuals had departed and were no longer under the court’s power.

Security analysts note that the use of RAF Lossiemouth and other UK facilities indicates high-level cooperation between London and Washington. This suggests that while the regional Scottish court sought to intervene, the national governments viewed the matter as a completed military seizure rather than a standard criminal arrest.

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Status and Implications

The captain and first officer are currently in U.S. custody and face prosecution. The remaining crew members have been processed; five chose to go to the U.S., while the rest have returned to their home countries or moved to third-party nations.

The Marinera remains a subject of discussion between U.S. and UK agencies to determine its "final disposition." The incident highlights a significant gap in how international maritime seizures are handled when the ship enters a third country's waters. Future cases may require clearer agreements on whether local courts have the power to stop the transfer of prisoners captured by allied forces on the high seas.

Primary Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why did the U.S. Coast Guard take Captain Avtandil Kalandadze from Scotland in January 2026?
The U.S. wants to put the captain on trial for moving oil from Venezuela, which breaks U.S. trade rules. He was taken from the Moray Firth area to a U.S. ship to be sent to America for a court case.
Q: Did a Scottish court try to stop the U.S. from removing the Marinera captain?
Yes, a judge named Lord Young ordered that the captain should stay in Scotland on January 27, 2026. However, the U.S. government said the captain was already on their ship and outside of UK control by the time the order was ready.
Q: What happened to the 26 crew members of the Marinera oil tanker?
Five crew members, including the captain and first officer, are going to the U.S. for legal reasons. The other 21 crew members were sent back to their home countries or moved to other safe places after the ship was held in Scotland.
Q: Why is the Scottish government upset about the removal of the tanker captain?
Scottish leader John Swinney said his government was not told enough about the plan to move the men. While the UK government in London helped the U.S., the local Scottish leaders felt they were left out of the secret plan.
Q: Where was the Marinera oil tanker first caught by the U.S. Navy?
U.S. Navy SEALs and the Coast Guard first caught the ship south of Iceland on January 7, 2026. It was then moved to the Moray Firth in Scotland so the crew could get food and supplies while the U.S. and UK talked about what to do next.