Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties

Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) are treaties signed between nations that allow assets of suspected criminals to be siezed without a court order.

MLATs allow law enforcement agencies to violate American’s Fourth Amendment rights by replacing the requirement of “probable cause” with one of “reasonable suspicicion.”

The United States has signed MLAT agreements with the following countries:

• Anguilla
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina
• Australia
• Austria
• The Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belgium
• Brazil
• The British Virgin Islands
• Campione
• Canada
• The Cayman Islands
• The Czech Republic
• Dominica
• Egypt
• Estonia
• Greece
• Grenada
• Hong Kong
• Hungary
• Israel
• Italy
• Jamaica
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Mexico
• Montserrat
• Morocco
• The Netherlands
• Panama
• The Philippines
• Poland
• Romania
• Spain
• St. Kitts and Nevis
• St. Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Thailand
• Turkey
• Turks and Caicos
• Trinidad and Tobago
• The Ukraine
• The United Kingdom
• Uruguay
• Venezuela

The following countries are among those who have not signed MLAT’s with the United States:

• Andorra
• Aruba
• Bahrain
• Belize
• Bermuda
• Brunei
• The Cook Islands
• Costa Rica
• Cyprus
• Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
• Labuan (Malaysia)
• Liechtenstein
• Madeira
• Malta
• Monaco
• Mauritius
• Samoa
• Seychelles
• Switzerland
• Vanuatu