# Liable for violating US law in another country?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liable-for-violating-us-law-in-another-country/640851>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 13, 2012, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liable-for-violating-us-law-in-another-country/640851 "2012-11-13T01:35:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Atakapa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a8b319/32.png) [@Atakapa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atakapa)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liable-for-violating-us-law-in-another-country/640851/1 "2012-11-13T01:35:15Z")

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When American citizens abroad use drugs, solicit prostitutes, and commit other actions that violate US laws, could they legally be arrested by American law enforcement? That is, even if the act is legal in the foreign country in which it was committed.

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2012, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/liable-for-violating-us-law-in-another-country/640851/2 "2012-11-13T03:36:08Z")

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Found this:

> [@](#):
>
> [OLC Opinion on Authority of the FBI to Override International Law in Extraterritorial Law Enforcement Activities](https://www.fas.org/irp/agency/doj/fbi/olc_override.pdf), Office of Legal Counsel, Department of Justice, June 21, 1989

(PDF Warning.)