Illegal Archives - Maritime Shipping News

Coast Guard halts illegal charter in Florida

27 August 2020

The Coast Guard terminated an illegal charter near Tierra Verde, Fla., on Saturday. A Coast Guard Station St. Petersburg 29′ Response Boat — Small II boat crew, along with Coast Guard investigating officers boarded a 47′ boat that was operating as a bareboat charter with 10 passengers for hire.

After investigation, Coast Guard officers terminated the charter’s voyage and escorted the boat and passengers back to Marine Max.

“Under a bareboat charter contract, the person who rents the charter must...

https://www.workboat.com/news/government/coast-guard-halts-illegal-charter-in-florida/

Coast Guard offloads $408 million of seized, illegal drugs

9 June 2020

The U.S. Coast Guard offloaded 23,000 lbs. of cocaine and 6,900 lbs. of marijuana at Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Tuesday as part of contraband seized and recovered during 11 interdictions of suspected drug smuggling vessels by four Coast Guard cutters and two Navy ships. The estimated value of the seized drugs is $408 million.

On April 1, U.S. Southern Command began enhanced counter-narcotics operations in the Western Hemisphere to disrupt the flow of drugs in support of Presidential...

https://www.workboat.com/news/government/coast-guard-offloads-408-million-of-seized-illegal-drugs/

Boat owner arrested for illegal charter operations in Chicago

16 July 2019

A Michigan man has been arrested on federal criminal charges for allegedly conducting illegal charter boat operations on Chicago waterways.

Christopher Mike Garbowski used a 40′ powerboat to conduct illegal commercial charter operations on Chicago waterways, including Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The boat went by various names, including Anchorman, Sea Hawk, and Manaje III.

Garbowski charged money to...

https://www.workboat.com/news/passenger-vessels/boat-owner-arrested-for-illegal-charter-operations-chicago/

USCG cautions public against illegal charters

4 June 2019

Two pontoon boats moored to a pier at Haulover Inlet, Florida, Mar. 31, 2019. The Coast Guard boarded the two boats and terminated both voyages as illegal charters. Coast Guard Photo

The Coast Guard is reminding the public that unlicensed vessel charters are both illegal and unsafe to consumers.

Hiring an unlicensed charter is dangerous because the charter may not have the proper emergency safety gear, navigation and communication gear, and may not have undergone the proper license exams and inspections which are put in place to ensure passenger and crew safety.

“Illegal charter operations create a great safety risk to passengers and will not be tolerated,” Capt. Ladonn...

https://www.workboat.com/news/government/uscg-cautions-public-against-illegal-charters/