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Maritime jurisdiction provisions

The Maritime Drug Law Enforcement provisions expanded U.S. jurisdiction over drug offenses on the high seas.

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Jan 14, 2026
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What role do United Nations treaties and regional agreements play in permitting boarding and prosecution of drug-smuggling ships?

United Nations treaties—principally the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 1988 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Subst...

Jan 27, 2026

Under what conditions can the United States board and seize a foreign vessel suspected of drug smuggling on the high seas?

may board and seize a foreign vessel on the high seas under a statutory framework centered on (MDLEA) and related statutes, by relying on vessel nationality, statelessness, , or prima facie evidence o...

Jan 15, 2026

What exactly does the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act of 1986 say about jurisdiction and boarding powers?

The Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act (MDLEA) grants the United States broad extraterritorial criminal jurisdiction over drug offenses committed "on board" vessels and authorizes U.S. officers—most no...