« Somali Pirates Receiving 'Ship-Cargo Tips' From London »

Somali pirates do not randomly attack vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean; they rather select their targets via the help of a london-based consultant group.

"Well-placed informers" constantly update control centers in Somalia, which ultimately give the pirates information about ships, their cargo and their routes, the Guardian reported citing a European military intelligence document obtained by a Spanish radio station, Cadena SER.

The information obtained by the pirates through the "consultants" was in some cases so extensive that they even included the vessel's blueprints and the nationalities of those on board.

"The information that merchant ships sailing through the area volunteer to various international organizations is ending up in the pirates' hands," Cadena SER reported citing the document.

Once aboard the hijacked ships, the pirates would maintain contact with their informants, as has been confirmed by at least one targeted shipping company, the Guardian reported.

The document also mentions that the pirates seem to be avoiding vessels flying the British flag, allegedly to evade drawing the attention of the UK police - a precautionary measure to protect their london-based accomplices.

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Comments

[S. Gompers]

One mans pirate is another Kings privateer. The real question is, where is the money going?, it certainly hasn't been staying in Somalia improving the situation there. Britain has been playing the "we make our money the old fashioned way" game for hundreds of years, ask the Spanish, French, etc..

And they are rather good at it.

[DailyBail]

i've read a few stories on where the money goes...mostly seems to go into improving their resources for the next ship takeover...better boats, weapons, communication equipment...and probably a lot of rum and women on shore...

[S. Gompers]

They still pay their "informants" handsomely, the amount of money they have "earned" is a kings ransom in Somalia, and things there have not improved that much.