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Stateless Smuggling Ships Interdiction

The legality of interdicting stateless smuggling ships on the high seas, including boarding, seizure, and destruction, under customary international law and treaties like UNCLOS.

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Jan 6, 2026

How have EU and U.S. anti-smuggling operations influenced customary international law on seizing stateless ships?

EU naval campaigns in the Mediterranean and repeated U.S. interdictions of unregistered vessels have pushed the practical boundaries of when states may board, seize, and even destroy stateless smuggli...