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Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73not60

§2290 Jurisdiction and Scope

Title 18 › Part I— CRIMES › Chapter 111A— DESTRUCTION OF, OR INTERFERENCE WITH, VESSELS OR MARITIME FACILITIES › § 2290

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Federal authorities can prosecute crimes covered here when the illegal act happens inside the United States or in U.S. waters. They can also act when the act happens outside the United States if a U.S. national is the offender or the victim, or if the act involves a ship that had a U.S. national on board, or a U.S. vessel. The chapter does not cover lawful activities done by or at the direction of the U.S. government. "National of the United States" is as defined in the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22)). "Vessel of the United States" is as defined in the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act (46 U.S.C. App. 1903).

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §2290

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)There is jurisdiction, including extraterritorial jurisdiction, over an offense under this chapter if the prohibited activity takes place—
(1)within the United States and within waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; or
(2)outside United States and—
(A)an offender or a victim is a national of the United States (as that term is defined under section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22)); 11 So in original. There probably should be an additional closing parenthesis.
(B)the activity involves a vessel in which a national of the United States was on board; or
(C)the activity involves a vessel of the United States (as that term is defined under section 2 22 See References in Text note below. of the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act (46 U.S.C. App. 1903).1
(b)Nothing in this chapter shall apply to otherwise lawful activities carried out by or at the direction of the United States Government.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 2 of the Maritime Drug Law

Enforcement

Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(C), probably means section 3 of the Maritime Drug Law

Enforcement

Act, Pub. L. 96–350, which was classified to section 1903 of former Title 46, Appendix, Shipping, and was repealed and restated in sections 70502 to 70506 of Title 46, Shipping, by Pub. L. 109–304, §§ 10(2), 19, Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1683, 1710. section 70502(b) of Title 46 defines “vessel of the United States”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 2290

Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60