Published on
02/06/2026 – 17:17 GMT+2

An oil tanker suspected of being part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” has arrived in the Bay of Douarnenez in western France on Tuesday under the escort of the French Navy.

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The Tagor was intercepted and boarded in international waters off the coast of Brittany on Sunday with support from the United Kingdom, the Elysée Palace confirmed.

French officials said the vessel had departed from the Russian Arctic port of Murmansk and was sailing under a false Cameroonian flag when it was intercepted.

Authorities said the ship’s Russian captain initially refused orders to stop, prompting a boarding operation that the Kremlin has described as an act of “international piracy”.

It is the fourth tanker linked to Russia’s shadow fleet to be detained by France since September 2024.

Shadow fleet vessels are typically characterised by opaque ownership structures, frequent changes of flag registration, ship-to-ship cargo transfers and limited insurance coverage.

Western governments say the network has become a critical tool for exporting Russian oil despite international restrictions.

According to French authorities, the Tagor was bound for the port of Limbe in Cameroon when it was stopped.

Flying a false or invalid flag is considered a serious maritime violation and is commonly associated with sanctions evasion.

Iranian shipping magnate linked to Russian oil exports

The vessel has attracted particular attention because databases have linked it to the wider shipping network of Iranian oil trader Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, one of the most prominent figures accused of facilitating both Russian and Iranian oil exports.

Shamkhani, the son of former Iranian national security chief Ali Shamkhani, has built a vast network of shipping and logistics companies operating primarily from the United Arab Emirates.

In July 2025, the European Union sanctioned Shamkhani and several companies linked to his business empire, including Admiral Group and Milavous Group, describing him as a central player in Russia’s shadow fleet.

The EU said his network had become an important facilitator of Russian crude oil exports and accused him of helping generate significant revenues for the Russian energy sector.

The United States subsequently expanded sanctions against what it described as Shamkhani’s “vast shipping empire”, targeting more than 100 entities, individuals and vessels connected to the network.

U.S. authorities said the structure had generated billions of dollars through the transportation and sale of Russian and Iranian oil, although French authorities have not publicly alleged that Shamkhani directly owns the Tagor.

Fourth vessel detained by France in recent times

France has intensified enforcement against shadow fleet vessels over the past year. Authorities detained the tankers Deyna and Grinch in the Mediterranean on similar grounds, although both vessels were later released after paying fines.

In a separate case, a French court sentenced the Chinese captain of the tanker Boracay in absentia to one year in prison and imposed a €150,000 fine after the vessel failed to comply with orders to stop off the Brittany coast in September 2024.

The French government announced in April that it would strengthen penalties for vessels operating without valid flag registrations or refusing maritime inspections, reflecting growing European concern over sanctions evasion and maritime safety risks associated with the shadow fleet.

According to the European Union, nearly 600 vessels linked to Russia are now subject to sanctions as governments seek to tighten restrictions on Moscow’s oil exports.

Mexican authorities have uncovered a sophisticated underground tunnel near the U.S.-Mexico border that was equipped with lighting, ventilation and an electronic transport system, which they say may connect Tijuana to a street in San Diego.

Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office, known as the FGR, announced the discovery Saturday following a search warrant executed at a property in the Nueva Tijuana neighborhood of Tijuana, Baja California.

Authorities said the tunnel stretched approximately 265 meters, or about 870 feet, and reached a depth of roughly 6.3 meters, or 21 feet underground.

According to investigators, the tunnel contained operational infrastructure, including lighting and ventilation systems, as well as an electronic sliding mechanism designed to move items in both directions between Mexico and the U.S.

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The tunnel was discovered through intelligence work conducted by agents with the FGR’s Criminal Investigation Agency in coordination with Mexico’s Security Cabinet.

Officials said the search warrant was executed as part of an investigation into alleged violations of Mexico’s firearms and explosives laws as well as drug-related offenses.

Authorities said they believe the property may have functioned as a storage, logistics and trafficking center for firearms, explosives and illicit drugs.

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Photos released by the FGR appear to show agents navigating the underground passageway, access points leading into the tunnel and evidence recovered during the operation.

Investigators said they recovered ammunition, suspected methamphetamine, suspected marijuana, cell phones and various documents from the property.

Images released by Mexican authorities also appear to show ventilation infrastructure inside the tunnel, underscoring what officials described as a sophisticated operation.

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The FGR said its investigation indicates the tunnel likely connects to a street in San Diego, though authorities have not publicly identified the location or confirmed whether the U.S. side of the tunnel has been located.

The tunnel discovery comes as U.S. authorities announced charges against four individuals accused of trafficking more than a ton of cocaine through a sophisticated cross-border tunnel stretching between Tijuana and San Diego.

According to federal prosecutors in San Diego, the tunnel extended approximately 1,933 feet, reached a depth of about 55 feet and was equipped with reinforced walls, electricity, ventilation systems and rail infrastructure.

Federal investigators said the tunnel connected Tijuana to a storefront in Otay Mesa known as “Buy 4 Less,” where agents discovered a concealed exit point hidden beneath the floor of a storage room.

Authorities seized approximately 1,029 kilograms, or more than 2,269 pounds, of suspected cocaine during the investigation, an amount prosecutors estimated was worth roughly $45 million.

Homeland Security Investigations said the seizure dealt a significant blow to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organizations.

The investigation resulted in charges against four suspects accused of using the tunnel to move narcotics into the U.S.

Federal officials said the tunnel was discovered after months of surveillance that began in late 2025 and culminated in coordinated enforcement actions on May 29.

Officials described the discovery as a significant blow to criminal organizations that rely on underground smuggling routes to move narcotics and other contraband across the border.

“For these defendants, it wasn’t a light at the end of the tunnel. It was lights and sirens,” U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California, said.

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The evidence and property have been turned over to federal prosecutors in Baja California, who will continue the investigation.

Less than two hours after polling stations closed on Sunday, it was clear that Colombia’s presidential race would be settled in a run-off between two finalists: hard-right political outsider Abelardo de la Espriella and leftist Senator Ivan Cepeda.

Though the overall result surprised few, de la Espriella’s strong showing upended pollsters’ predictions.

Cepeda, President Gustavo Petro’s chosen successor, had been expected to win the most votes, based on public opinion surveys.

But instead, de la Espriella came in first place, winning 43.74 percent of the vote. Cepeda trailed with 40.90 percent.

Supporters of de la Espriella, a criminal defence lawyer, held rapturous celebrations in the coastal city of Barranquilla, where the candidate has an office.

“Colombia won, and with more than 10 million votes, democracy won,” said Elsa Suarez, a de la Espriella voter living in Bogota.

The far-right candidate has modelled himself after politicians like Donald Trump in the United States and Javier Milei in Argentina, flamboyant media personalities who won the presidency despite having little to no political experience.

Like them, de la Espriella has pledged a return to “law and order”, as well as a pared-back national government and policies to support traditional family values.

Notably, he promises to use an “iron fist” to stamp out crime and build megaprisons to jail criminals, mimicking the policies of Salvadoran strongman Nayib Bukele.

Analysts say de la Espriella’s populist messaging resonated with voters in Colombia’s interior, where urban crime is a growing concern.

Electoral maps show de la Espriella besting Cepeda in 16 of the country’s 32 departments, primarily in the heart of Colombia and along the border with Venezuela.

“In more central areas and closer to the capitals, people prioritise security,” explained Laura Bonilla, the deputy director at the Peace and Reconciliation Foundation (PARES), a Bogota-based research nonprofit.

By contrast, de la Espriella’s security messaging failed to sway voters along the coast and in border areas afflicted by rebel violence.

Bonilla argues that people in these regions instead place greater value on the socioeconomic issues that Cepeda represents, as the continuity candidate for Petro’s Historic Pact party.

“Over the past four years, they have received constant attention from the government,” said Bonilla, citing state development projects under the Petro administration.

A blow to the conservative establishment

De la Espriella’s success also highlights growing anti-establishment sentiment in Colombia, according to experts.

The lawyer, who has never run for public office before, comfortably beat his main rival on the right, Senator Paloma Valencia, who was backed by former President Alvaro Uribe, the figurehead of Colombian conservatism.

Initially, Sunday’s election was predicted to be a close race between Valencia and de la Espriella, both of whom lagged behind Cepeda in the polls.

But as Sunday’s ballots were tallied, Valencia flopped with less than 7 percent of the vote.

Miguel Silva, a Colombian political consultant, credited some of de la Espriella’s success to his campaign messaging.

De la Espriella, he explained, used his campaign to draw a distinction between the haves and the have-nots, those who have benefitted from the government and those who feel ignored.

“He [succeeded] by portraying himself and the people he represents as ‘Los Nunca’ and by portraying Paloma and her followers as ‘Los Siempre’,” Silva said, using the Spanish words for “The Nevers” and “The Always”.

Pollsters predicted the right would be divided in the first round, paving the way for Cepeda to win the most votes, but de la Espriella captured millions of votes from traditional conservatives, marking a shift in Colombia’s political landscape.

In Bogota, the only province in the country’s interior to vote for Cepeda, the left-wing candidate’s supporters were shocked by Sunday’s results.

“Everyone is a little surprised,” said Juan Camilo Rodriguez, who voted for Cepeda. “These results don’t match the polls.”

Petro himself had hammered his base to flood the polls, warning that the left’s chances of success could be hampered by electoral fraud.

The outgoing president rejected last night’s results, which were based on the “pre-conteo”, or preliminary count, a non-legally binding process.

Instead, Petro called on the public to wait for the official, scrutinised count, which will be released in the coming days.

Cepeda echoed the president’s scepticism in a speech on Sunday night. “Only once the vote-counting committees have fully, clearly, and thoroughly clarified this matter, will we comment on tonight’s results,” he told supporters.

But the candidate appeared to mellow his stance this morning, acknowledging that there was no evidence of irregularities in the vote. He trailed de la Espriella by more than 670,000 votes.

Experts warn that Cepeda is losing precious time by focusing on fraud allegations and should instead concentrate on swaying moderate voters.

“By crying fraud so early, it’s hard to bring more voters to the table,” said Silva.

A second round of voting, between Cepeda and de la Espriella, is scheduled for June 21.

Up for grabs are more than a million votes for centrist candidate Sergio Fajardo and 1.6 million for Paloma Valencia. While Valencia endorsed de la Espriella, her running mate, moderate politician Juan Daniel Oviedo, did not.

Miguel Jaramillo Lujan, a Colombian political strategist, said the final two candidates must tread carefully in the next three weeks to prevail.

“As the saying goes, whoever makes fewer mistakes will be the winner.”