Contiguous Zone Enforcement

Contiguous zone enforcement is the coastal state’s exercise of control in the belt adjacent to its territorial sea, out to 24 nautical miles from the baseline under UNCLOS Article 33, to prevent and punish infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration, and sanitary laws within its territory or territorial sea. The power is constabulary, not sovereign: the state cannot apply its full domestic law to a passing ship but may board to prevent an incoming violation or to punish one already committed in territory or the territorial sea. It does not confer resource jurisdiction; that belongs to the EEZ regime under Article 56.