US Coast Guard can arrest anyone on any ocean in the world? - GoFuckYourself.com

BRISK · 09-27-2004, 04:25 PM

Somebody fill me in on the legality of this situation:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...ocaine_seizure

Some Colombian guys are floating in a boat full of cocaine 300 miles west of the Galapagos Islands, and so the US Navy and Coast Guard intercepts them and arrests them.

Ten people were detained. They were charged Monday by federal authorities in Tampa, Florida.

How does the US Coast Guard have the authority to arrest people 300 miles west of the Galapagos Islands? Are there no limits to jurisdiction? Can any country use their version of the Coast Guard to arrest people in the middle of the ocean?

Also, what law were these guys breaking by being in a boat full of drugs in the middle of the ocean?

JFK · 09-27-2004, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BRISK
Somebody fill me in on the legality of this situation:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...ocaine_seizure

Some Colombian guys are floating in a boat full of cocaine 300 miles west of the Galapagos Islands, and so the US Navy and Coast Guard intercepts them and arrests them.

Ten people were detained. They were charged Monday by federal authorities in Tampa, Florida.

How does the US Coast Guard have the authority to arrest people 300 miles west of the Galapagos Islands? Are there no limits to jurisdiction? Can any country use their version of the Coast Guard to arrest people in the middle of the ocean?

Also, what law were these guys breaking by being in a boat full of drugs in the middle of the ocean?

I think they invited them selfes to be the official guardian of truth Justice and the American way

Theo · 09-27-2004, 04:36 PM

maybe that area is part of the international waters

Alex · 09-27-2004, 04:37 PM

Although i think they cant leagtally.

Why are you bitching, the stopped a bunch of drug dealers and criminals.

BRISK · 09-27-2004, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Soul_Rebel
maybe that area is part of the international waters

Does that mean any country can arrest anyone in international waters and then hold them legally accountable for their laws?

BRISK · 09-27-2004, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kaliboy2g
Although i think they cant leagtally.

Why are you bitching, the stopped a bunch of drug dealers and criminals.

1) How am I "bitching"? I'm curious about the laws behind this situation.

2) For these people to be "criminals" they would have to be breaking a law. Whose law did they break while floating in the middle of the ocean?

JFK · 09-27-2004, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BRISK
1) How am I "bitching"? I'm curious about the laws behind this situation.

2) For these people to be "criminals" they would have to be breaking a law. Whose law did they break while floating in the middle of the ocean?

they didnt, break any laws except maybee Columbia.... and they sold out to the US as far as Drug enforcement goes

Peaches · 09-27-2004, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BRISK
Does that mean any country can arrest anyone in international waters and then hold them legally accountable for their laws?

IIRC, they go by the laws where the boat/ship is registered. The first ship wasn't registered anywhere, so that's pretty much up for grabs. Though I'm unaware of any country where trafficking in cocaine is legal.

baddog · 09-27-2004, 04:44 PM

good question

Evil1 · 09-27-2004, 04:45 PM

I was under the impression that american iurisdiction is exactly 3 miles around the coast of any american land. I cant imagine that holding up in court.

BRISK · 09-27-2004, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Peaches
IIRC, they go by the laws where the boat/ship is registered. The first ship wasn't registered anywhere, so that's pretty much up for grabs. Though I'm unaware of any country where trafficking in cocaine is legal.

So if a ship isn't registered in any country, it's up for grabs, and anyone who catches it can apply their laws to the people on it no matter where in the world it is?

Alex · 09-27-2004, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Evil1
I was under the impression that american iurisdiction is exactly 3 miles around the coast of any american land. I cant imagine that holding up in court.

They probably wont be put on trial, but at least the drugs wont hit our streets.

You people are missing the big picture, think outside the box.

korzon · 09-27-2004, 04:49 PM

good question brisk. i'd like to know this answer myself

Theo · 09-27-2004, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BRISK
So if a ship isn't registered in any country, it's up for grabs, and anyone who catches it can apply their laws to the people on it no matter where in the world it is?

A ship has to be registered in some country. If it's not registered it's illegal by default. In such cases authorities proceed to arrests and based on further data they pass the criminals where they belong.

Peaches · 09-27-2004, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BRISK
So if a ship isn't registered in any country, it's up for grabs, and anyone who catches it can apply their laws to the people on it no matter where in the world it is?

Considering not registering a ship/boat is illegal in the first place, I would say "yes".

Can you imagine if it was OK to just not register and then you were under no country's law?

I'm sure the US would be more than happy to find out the nationality of the people on board and send them back to their country for prosecution. Most South and Central American countries have much stricter laws against cocaine than the US has.

Richard The Stalker · 09-27-2004, 04:51 PM

flag rule.

BRISK · 09-27-2004, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kaliboy2g
They probably wont be put on trial, but at least the drugs wont hit our streets.

You people are missing the big picture, think outside the box.

I think you're missing the big picture.

It sounds all well and good when it is Americans arresting drug runners, but what if the Coast Guard of Saudi Arabia found some American women floating in the middle of the ocean and arrested them for not being covered up and they were all drinking champagne?

My point is, can any country apply its laws to anyone they find floating in the middle of the ocean in an unregistered boat?

Peaches · 09-27-2004, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BRISK
My point is, can any country apply its laws to anyone they find floating in the middle of the ocean in an unregistered boat?

Yes.

BRISK · 09-27-2004, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Soul_Rebel
A ship has to be registered in some country. If it's not registered it's illegal by default. In such cases authorities proceed to arrests and based on further data they pass the criminals where they belong.

illegal according to who?

Furious_Male · 09-27-2004, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kaliboy2g
They probably wont be put on trial, but at least the drugs wont hit our streets.

You people are missing the big picture, think outside the box.

Most likely this was the thought process on this bust. They realize they can't hold them but its highly unlikely the drugs will be released to them when they leave our system.

BRISK · 09-27-2004, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Peaches
Considering not registering a ship/boat is illegal in the first place, I would say "yes".

illegal according to who? who says it's illegal to have an unregistered boat in the middle of the ocean?

detoxed · 09-27-2004, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BRISK
illegal according to who?

maybe international law?

jimmyf · 09-27-2004, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by detoxed
maybe international law?

i would think so

PornGeneral · 09-27-2004, 05:04 PM

http://www.admiraltylawguide.com/

Basically by not be a registered ship of a State they are in violation of International Law and any State that finds the unregistered ship may exert jurisdiction over said ship is what I get from reading docs on this site.

My

not actual fact

Theo · 09-27-2004, 05:12 PM

There are ships that do not have to be registered (i pre-assumed it's a commercial one), but this doesn't mean anything. The ship registration is a convenient mean of establishing title to the property of it. (ownership) The ship has owner and captain who are responsible for that.

BRISK · 09-27-2004, 05:16 PM

I assume that because these guys are Colombian and Colombia is a member of the UN, that these guys fall under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

If that's how it works, then I wonder what would happen if the Coast Guard couldn't identify what country these guys were from?

exitmoney · 09-27-2004, 05:19 PM

yes they did a crime. The crime was to plot and plan to introduce the drugs in the US. I guess that's where the boat was going to anyways. You do not have to commit a crime like actually killing somebody in order to be put in prison. Hiring the hitman or plotting to kill somebody will get you in prison as well and it is as criminal as it could get even if the poor guy did not die. That's just an example so I think it makes sense to say that they were planning to commit a crime in the USA and they were intercepted. That on top of the fact that the boat was not registered anywhere again is a crime to both US and International law, and that has been the case since the 14th-15th century with pirates

I am not an expert on the subject of course I would like to read somebody more related to the field and his point of view

Tanker · 09-27-2004, 05:21 PM

I am not sure how the laws work but I know that Curacau is very far off of American waters and they have a major coast gaurd station thier and I believe there is one in the galapagos just like we have military bases abroad we have coast gaurd stations abroad and I am sure that uraguay has a treaty of some sort with us that allows us to intercept drug runners

BRISK · 09-27-2004, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by exitmoney
yes they did a crime. The crime was to plot and plan to introduce the drugs in the US. I guess that's where the boat was going to anyways.

That would have to be proven, but I assume the Coast Guard has some proof that will show up in court. Simply floating in the ocean is not proof that you're going to be selling cocaine in America.

09-27-2004, 04:25 PM	#1
BRISK Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 12,240	US Coast Guard can arrest anyone on any ocean in the world? Somebody fill me in on the legality of this situation: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...ocaine_seizure Some Colombian guys are floating in a boat full of cocaine 300 miles west of the Galapagos Islands, and so the US Navy and Coast Guard intercepts them and arrests them. Ten people were detained. They were charged Monday by federal authorities in Tampa, Florida. How does the US Coast Guard have the authority to arrest people 300 miles west of the Galapagos Islands? Are there no limits to jurisdiction? Can any country use their version of the Coast Guard to arrest people in the middle of the ocean? Also, what law were these guys breaking by being in a boat full of drugs in the middle of the ocean? __________________ I post on GFY so that when people ask me what I do, I can tell them that I work with the mentally retarded.

09-27-2004, 04:37 PM	#4
Alex So Fucking Banned (YEA!!) Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 10,963	Although i think they cant leagtally. Why are you bitching, the stopped a bunch of drug dealers and criminals. __________________ Care about me? Who? Me! Who?

09-27-2004, 04:45 PM	#10
Evil1 Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 3,893	I was under the impression that american iurisdiction is exactly 3 miles around the coast of any american land. I cant imagine that holding up in court. __________________

09-27-2004, 04:49 PM	#13
korzon Confirmed User Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,524	good question brisk. i'd like to know this answer myself __________________

09-27-2004, 05:04 PM	#24
PornGeneral Confirmed User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: In front of computer Posts: 564	http://www.admiraltylawguide.com/ Basically by not be a registered ship of a State they are in violation of International Law and any State that finds the unregistered ship may exert jurisdiction over said ship is what I get from reading docs on this site. My not actual fact __________________ "The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his." -Patton "Only the dead have seen the end of war." -Plato

09-27-2004, 04:36 PM	#3
Theo HAL 9000 Industry Role: Join Date: May 2001 Posts: 34,515	maybe that area is part of the international waters

09-27-2004, 04:44 PM	#9
baddog So Fucking Banned Industry Role: Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: the beach, SoCal Posts: 107,089	good question

09-27-2004, 04:51 PM	#16
Richard The Stalker So Fucking Banned Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Fuck You. Posts: 76	flag rule.

09-27-2004, 05:12 PM	#25
Theo HAL 9000 Industry Role: Join Date: May 2001 Posts: 34,515	There are ships that do not have to be registered (i pre-assumed it's a commercial one), but this doesn't mean anything. The ship registration is a convenient mean of establishing title to the property of it. (ownership) The ship has owner and captain who are responsible for that.

09-27-2004, 05:16 PM	#26
BRISK Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 12,240	I assume that because these guys are Colombian and Colombia is a member of the UN, that these guys fall under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. If that's how it works, then I wonder what would happen if the Coast Guard couldn't identify what country these guys were from? __________________ I post on GFY so that when people ask me what I do, I can tell them that I work with the mentally retarded.

09-27-2004, 05:19 PM	#27
exitmoney Confirmed User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: montreal, canada Posts: 143	yes they did a crime. The crime was to plot and plan to introduce the drugs in the US. I guess that's where the boat was going to anyways. You do not have to commit a crime like actually killing somebody in order to be put in prison. Hiring the hitman or plotting to kill somebody will get you in prison as well and it is as criminal as it could get even if the poor guy did not die. That's just an example so I think it makes sense to say that they were planning to commit a crime in the USA and they were intercepted. That on top of the fact that the boat was not registered anywhere again is a crime to both US and International law, and that has been the case since the 14th-15th century with pirates I am not an expert on the subject of course I would like to read somebody more related to the field and his point of view

09-27-2004, 05:21 PM	#28
Tanker Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Oakville, Ontario, Canada Posts: 9,287	I am not sure how the laws work but I know that Curacau is very far off of American waters and they have a major coast gaurd station thier and I believe there is one in the galapagos just like we have military bases abroad we have coast gaurd stations abroad and I am sure that uraguay has a treaty of some sort with us that allows us to intercept drug runners __________________ Tanker ICQ 3427575 CCBTools Now featured in the CCBill.com APP STORE