Avtandil Kalandadze, master of the Iranian shadow-fleet oil tanker BELLA 1, pled guilty to failing to comply with US Coast Guard orders to halt his ship after a prolonged Atlantic pursuit, according to reports.
Avtandil Kalandadze, a Georgian national serving as master of the Iranian shadow-fleet oil tanker BELLA 1, has pleaded guilty in a US federal court to failing to comply with US Coast Guard directives to stop his vessel. The plea follows a well-publicized incident in which the BELLA 1 led US Coast Guard cutters on a lengthy pursuit across the Atlantic Ocean. The case underscores ongoing US efforts to enforce sanctions against Iran's oil trades and its 'shadow fleet' of vessels that evade tracking and detection. The timing and full terms of sentencing are not yet reported.
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