The US has imposed fresh sanctions on six more ships said to be carrying Venezuelan oil, a day after seizing a tanker off the country's coast, BBC reported.

Sanctions have also been placed on some of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's relatives and businesses associated with what Washington calls his illegitimate regime.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the seized vessel, called the Skipper, had been involved in "illicit oil shipping" and would be taken to an American port, according to BBC.