The radio fizzed with static as one of the world's most expensive superyachts sailed through the mist into San Diego Bay.
"Sécurité, sécurité, sécurité… this is the inbound yacht the Amadea."
At the stern, an American flag fluttered above the boat's lavish, mosaic-lined swimming pool.
The $325m (£307m) vessel had spent most of its life touring picturesque ports in the Mediterranean. Now, under the control of US authorities, it was destined for a drab concrete wharf in an industrial harbour.
It is the most ostentatious trophy claimed by a taskforce that - in the words of US President Joe Biden - was set up to pursue Russian oligarchs' "ill-begotten gains".
The BBC has been granted exclusive access behind the scenes of a superyacht seizure.
As missiles rained down on Ukraine in the early days of the war, US prosecutor Andrew Adams was sitting in his New York office with a list of Kremlin-connected billionaires and their luxury assets.
But it looked like time was running out. On a digital map of maritime traffic, he could see superyachts linked to oligarchs making a scramble for safety - sailing towards countries where, he suspected, they believed their assets would be safe from sanctions.
Among the opulent floating targets, one "mega yacht" stood out, Mr Adams said.
The Amadea is roughly the length of a football pitch, with a helipad at one end and a 10-metre infinity pool at the other. Inside, there is a gym, beauty salon, cinema and wine cellar. There are luxury cabins for 16 guests, and accommodation for 36 crew to service their every need.
From a distance, it appears like the tip of an iceberg. Sleek, clean lines and a gleaming white facade seem to project an image of pristine purity. Simply keeping the Amadea shipshape comes at vast expense, with annual running costs estimated at £25m or more. But the ownership of the yacht, and the source of the wealth locked away in its marble floors and teak decking, remains disputed.
IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES
US investigators say billionaire Russian politician Suleiman Kerimov is the true owner. Mr Kerimov, a senator in the Russian parliament, rejects the claim.
The 56-year-old is one of the richest men in Russia, according to Forbes, which estimates that he and his family are worth $12.4bn. He made his fortune after the fall of the Soviet Union, buying up large stakes in Russian companies, including the country's biggest gas and gold producers.
The US sanctioned Mr Kerimov in 2018. The UK followed suit in March, as did the EU, which said he had supported or implemented policies which undermine the independence, stability and security of Ukraine.
By Alessandra Bonomolo & William McLennan
BBC News
