# Are drugs legal in international waters? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 11, 2000, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-drugs-legal-in-international-waters/45077 "2000-12-11T20:47:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-drugs-legal-in-international-waters/45077/1 "2000-12-11T20:47:56Z")
Can I set up a “heroin cruise” - take a boat about 400 miles off-shore and start dispensing LSD, pot, etc., to my paying customers? Or do the laws of the country in which my boat is registered apply on the boat? Sua ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-drugs-legal-in-international-waters/45077/2 "2000-12-11T21:22:08Z")
Judging by the gambling boat example, sure. But you’d have to have the illegal drugs out there already, you couldn’t have them on the ship while you were not in international waters. I’m sure some drug dealers would be happy to meet you out there to make the deal, and then rob and kill everyone on the ship for some extra dough. ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-drugs-legal-in-international-waters/45077/3 "2000-12-11T21:27:04Z")
Then again, they’d probably want repeat customers, so maybe they wouldn’t rob you. I wasn’t thinking straight there. However, I’m sure the DEA would catch on and follow the dealers back to where they came from, thus ruining it for you. ---
**Author:** ![Isosleepy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/isosleepy/32/479_2.png) [@Isosleepy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isosleepy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-drugs-legal-in-international-waters/45077/4 "2000-12-11T21:29:29Z")
similar cruises exist to facilitate other vices. Out of Ft. Lauderdale and Tampa, FL But I guess if you’d go that far for a hit, might as well fly to Amsterdam (where most drugs, if not legal, are at least condoned and easily available) If you don’t croak in your own vomit, you get to see some sights. ---
**Author:** ![Yarster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/7c8e57/32.png) [@Yarster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yarster)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-drugs-legal-in-international-waters/45077/5 "2000-12-11T21:35:21Z")
I asked a similar question a few months ago regarding setting up a cruise line (or platform) whore house-on-the-high-seas. It would, of course, be highly frowned upon if US citizens were using it, and essentially, the response I got was that if it was enough of a headache (i.e. successful) to get noticed, someone would follow the supply line back until they did find something illegal and bust you. What I want to know is, if the DEA stops a boat in international waters that has drugs…even if they are headed for the US, what gives them the right to seize them until they actually enter US waters? Can’t you argue you were on your way to Amsterdam (where the drugs are legal) via the Caribbean? For that matter, why do you have to tell them anything? ---
**Author:** ![Isosleepy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/isosleepy/32/479_2.png) [@Isosleepy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isosleepy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-drugs-legal-in-international-waters/45077/6 "2000-12-11T21:54:33Z")
Drugs aren’t neccesarily legal in Amsterdam, there just is a policy of not enforcing drug laws (i.e. drugs are condoned) No real difference to the consumer, but people do get busted for trafficking, especially “hard” drugs Whorehouses on the high seas (or at least outside the 12 mile zone) exist. Still, I’m curious as to the legal justification of boarding on the high seas. Maybe they do 'cause they can? ---
**Author:** ![Scruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Scruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruff)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2000, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-drugs-legal-in-international-waters/45077/7 "2000-12-12T00:51:42Z")
Two questions have been posed here. From memory of many years ago… (1) In international waters (aka the “high seas”), you are governed by the laws and regulations of the country whose flag you are flying/country of registry of your vessel. You can be boarded by the authorities of that country (eg the Liberian Navy :)) but in theory no-one else. If you are flying no flag/do not have a clearly defined country of registry, then you are de facto a pirate and can be boarded/challenged by any naval vessel. Within territorial waters, you can be boarded by the authorities claiming ownership on that water. Be aware that some countries claim a 3 mile territorial limit, some a twelve mile limit and some a two hundred mile limit for purposes of law enforcement. I forget what the international conventions say – I _think_ it’s 12 miles, but I’ve been wrong before. (2) Can the DEA/US Navy enforce their eculiar drug regulations on the high seas? Technically, probably not. However, once the Navy has boarded your vessel, arrested the master, confiscated all the “illegal” stuff and hauled your ass off to some forgotten Immigration camp for “processing” – well, it may be a little time-consuming and troublesome to fight the case through the system. I suspect if you were doing this off the coast of Peru or something, the US/DEA wouldn’t worry – but if you were somehow shuttling people in and out of Port-o’-Miami, you might perhaps be at risk. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2000, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-drugs-legal-in-international-waters/45077/8 "2000-12-12T21:48:46Z")
Generally speaking the laws of the country from which the ship is operated are applicable (I don’t know if this is always the same as the country of registry). I was on a Royal Carribean Cruise Lines ship and had to go to the doctor’s office to ask for some Imodium, which is an OTC drug in the United States. And at first they wouldn’t give it to me because it’s a prescription drug in Sweden. But when I described my symptoms the receptionist, after consulting the Dr., gave it to me right away. ---
**Author:** ![jmullaney](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@jmullaney](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmullaney)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2000, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-drugs-legal-in-international-waters/45077/9 "2000-12-12T22:24:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Scruff \* > you are governed by the laws and regulations of the country whose flag you are flying/country of registry of your vessel. You can be boarded by the authorities of that country (eg the Liberian Navy :)) but in theory no-one else. Note to self – register drug boat in Switzerland. > [@](#): > > However, once the Navy has boarded your vessel, arrested the master, confiscated all the “illegal” stuff and hauled your ass off to some forgotten Immigration camp for “processing” – well, it may be a little time-consuming and troublesome to fight the case through the system. I seriously doubt that would happen. I’ve never heard about that happening. It would be an international incident. The wiser method would be to just set up shop 12 miles off the coast and let the customers come to you. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2000, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-drugs-legal-in-international-waters/45077/10 "2000-12-13T00:24:23Z")
Is this your latest money making idea Sua? Can you explain to me how you could get the drugs on your boat when you are in the middle of the ocean? ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2000, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-drugs-legal-in-international-waters/45077/11 "2000-12-13T00:26:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > \*\* > Is this your latest money making idea Sua? > > Can you explain to me how you could get the drugs on your boat when you are in the middle of the ocean? \*\* Yah, you see the practical problem, don’tcha? Sua