pirate havens

Pirate havens were ports or territories where pirates could operate with impunity—selling stolen goods, repairing ships, and spending their loot without fear of arrest.

These sanctuaries often existed because local authorities were bribed, complicit, or too weak to enforce law.

Historical examples include Nassau in the Bahamas and Port Royal in Jamaica.

The term now applies figuratively to any place where illicit activity flourishes under lax oversight: The island nation became a pirate haven for money launderers.