THE SECRET LIVES OF FREEPORTS: AN ANALYSIS OF THE REGULATION OF FREEPORTS AND THE ILLICIT ANTIQUITIES INSIDE
THE SECRET LIVES OF FREEPORTS: AN ANALYSIS OF THE REGULATION OF FREEPORTS AND THE ILLICIT ANTIQUITIES INSIDE
Abstract: Freeports are tax free warehouses located near airports and ports. Their original conception revolved around aiding merchants in the import and export of goods by allowing them to avoid import tariffs, keep their goods in transit, and save time transporting them from port to port. The ease at which a person could move their goods in and out of ports, avoiding both spoilage and tariffs, prompted merchants to seek out specific ports, generating business and developing economies. Recently, freeports have become a source of contention regarding their ability to promote illicit activity. The user anonymity and lack of regulations allow for the storing of illicit goods free of legal liability. This Note analyzes the origins of freeports, their importance to a country’s economic development, and how attempts at their regulation have failed. This Note suggests that a uniform international body, such as the United Nations, should impose economic penalties on the misuse of freeports to help curb the looting and illicit trafficking of antiquities and cultural artifacts worldwide.
Recommended Citation: Daniela Tanico, The Secret Lives of Freeports: An Analysis of the Regulation of Freeports and the Illicit Antiquities Inside, 45 Fordham Int'l L.J. 717 (2022).