Perhaps, but the money they would get charging for quarantine like the $4000 in fines would not pay for the horribly bad publicity. Besides they might have opened themselves up to cruel and unusual punishment incarcerating two long married couples in one dingy hotel room.
Though way too late someone wiser than those who forced the boat ashore, demanded $20,000 cash, threw 4 elderly US citizens in a crappy room for several days, told the bureaucrats to “Stop digging”.
I’m sure after scamming 20k off the sailor mentioned above who didn’t raise a ruckus, they thought it would be a good revenue source. Oops
