Sniper rifles
Indian Ocean pirate groups are still active in the region
Maritime piracy at the forefront Mélanie Benard-Crozat of international security goals Modern maritime piracy targets are not only commercial and fishing vessels, but also pleasure craft. It generally involves violent acts led by pirates who do not hesitate to use assault rifles or lance-rockets and who exert pressure on the ship’s crew to get what they want. Though this is far from being a new phenomenon, it now calls for new forms of response in order to strengthen the efficiency of current methods. Through international cooperation and innovative thinking, solutions are now being brought to the fore.
P
iracy is not a new phenomenon. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of attacks on vessels by pirates, in particular in the Gulf of Aden, Somali Basin, the Indian Ocean and Asia. Vast areas of waters are affected making it a challenge to prevent maritime piracy incidents. Millions of dollars in ransom payments are paid to pirates. It is believed that these payments are divided between the pirates, their leaders and those who finance them. For example, intelligence indicates that part of the “african” maritime piracy money is reinvested abroad through Somali emigrants. Tracing the financial flows of ransom money is one of the main challenges faced by law enforcement agencies.
EDR - March / April 2015
An African problem Whereas piracy is currently on the wane in the Indian Ocean, pirate groups are still active in the region and the risk of renewed pirate activity will remain strongly present until the economic and political situation in Somalia is resolved. Indeed, in the northern sectors of the Indian Ocean, the breakdown of the Somali government has to be dealt with, and the efforts made by the international community have not succeeded in restoring order in the region with piracy continuing to flourish. At the same time, there has been a rise in pirating activities in the Gulf of Guinea, mainly in Nigeria, with a more aggressive form and broader range of action. Eric Banel, deputy CEO of the
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