Payment of Ransom a tricky business
As pirates continue to hold hostages off the coast of Somalia, the process to pay out ransoms remains a tricky business for those paying.
From the Guardian:
The lesson from recent years in the Gulf of Aden is that piracy pays, and it is a lesson that has not been lost on the pirates.
Piracy is big business [...]
Rich in Mexico spending heavily on private guards
The elite in Mexico are spending more on private bodyguards as the drug war and kidnapping spread throughout the country.
From the New York Times:
With drug-related violence spinning out of control and kidnappings a proven money-maker for criminal gangs, members of Mexico’s upper class find themselves juggling the spoils of their status with the fear of [...]
Mexico drug cartels killing in the United States: Drug Czar
John Walters, US Drug Czar, stated that Mexican Drug Cartels are kidnapping and killing victims on US territory.
From Bloomberg News:
Mexican drug cartels, which have caused a surge in violence south of the border, are kidnapping and killing people inside U.S. territory, said John Walters, director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy.
“Some of [...]
One case per week of fake kidnap scams in Mexico
Human Smugglers on the border are scamming families back in Mexico by placing fake ransom calls demanding money for the release of their relatives, even though the callers do not have the person in their captivity.
From the AFP (via Google News):
Human smuggling gangs on the US-Mexico border are extorting thousands of dollars from families of [...]
Somali pirates only want money; view itself as “Coast Guard”
The pirates in Somalia who have seized a Ukrainian ship filled with arms are stating that they only wanted to attack the ship because it was “big”.
From the IHT:
The Somali pirates who hijacked a Ukrainian freighter loaded with tanks, artillery, grenade launchers and ammunition said in an interview Tuesday that they had no idea that [...]
$6 million ransom in Egyptian kidnapping case
The kidnappers of 11 Europeans and 8 Egyptians in Cairo has publicly demanded $6 million in ransom.
From the IHT:
The kidnappers of 11 European tourists and 8 Egyptians who were taken in a remote desert area of southwestern Egypt on Friday night have demanded $6 million to free them, an Egyptian government official said early Tuesday. [...]
Kidnap and Ransom market in Somalia is growing
Wired Magazine blog Danger Room has a post on the growing business of Somali Pirates and the amount of revenue they produce.
From Danger Room:
This is only the latest and most headline-friendly event in worrying trend: Somali gunmen, on land and at sea, are successfully squeezing millions of dollars per month in ransoms from foreign companies [...]
Somali leaders asks international community for help against pirates
The leader of Somalia’s opposition group is asking the international community to address the issue of piracy off the coast of Somalia.
From the AFP (via Google News):
Somali waters are the most dangerous in the world for pirate attacks. The International Maritime Bureau reported more than 24 known attacks in the area between April and June [...]
20 people arrested as Mexican Police strike at kidnap gang
20 people were arrested and 2 hostages were released as Mexican police conducted a daring raid agaisnt a kidnapping gang.
From CNN:
The arrests, which included the leader of what authorities said was a top kidnapping gang in the country, comes about two weeks after Mexican President Felipe Calderon met with the country’s 32 governors to create [...]
Pirates off the coast of Somalia increase activity in recent months
Reuters has a round up of the recent pirate activity off the coast of Somalia.
From Reuters:
Heavily-armed pirates from Somalia have hijacked at least 30 ships this year. Spreading lawlessness, a rampant insurgency and a worsening aid crisis onshore look set to drive that number higher.
Somalia’s 3,300 km (2,060 mile) coastline is considered one of the [...]
