Gibraltar has seized a vessel under suspicion that it was transporting crude oil to turkey in violation of EU sanctions . The territory 's police , alongside Royal Marines , boarded the Grace 1 as it was thought to be carrying its cargo to the oil Refinery in Syria . Furthermore , the vessel originated from Iran ; if the oil aboard is found to be Iranian this would also be a breach of the US ban on Iranian oil exports . The UK has condemned the swift action of the authorities but Spain is investigating the detainment , which it believes occurred in Spanish waters .
Gibraltar has seized a supertanker under suspicion that it was transporting crude oil to Syria in contravention of EU sanctions. The territory's police, alongside Royal Marines, boarded the Grace 1 as it was thought to be carrying its cargo to the Banyas Refinery in Syria. Furthermore, the vessel originated from Iran; if the oil aboard is found to be Iranian this would also be a breach of the US ban on Iranian oil exports. The UK government praised the swift action of the authorities but Spain is investigating the detainment, which it believes occurred in Spanish waters.