Federal officials have busted three party boats that are suspected of operating illegally as charters.
One of the boats, called the Golden Touch II, was stopped Tuesday after the Coast Guard found it was carrying more passengers than its capacity.
Last week, Seth Gissen, the owner of a party yacht No Rules II, was hit with federal charges for operating an illegal charter. Federal agents had stopped the boat on multiple occasions beforehand and ordered Gissen to cease operations.
Only NBC 6 was there when federal agents and Coast Guard officers searched the yacht that’s docked behind the owner’s property in one of South Florida’s most exclusive neighborhoods.
The Coast Guard on Tuesday also stopped two more boats near Key Biscayne that are also suspected to be illegal charters.
NBC 6 has reached out to the owner of Golden Touch II.
Anyone who is looking to hire a charter should research the company behind it and ask the captain to verify his license. Any suspicious behavior should be reported to the Coast Guard.
