On June 3, 2013 the United States begins a capital murder trial against three alleged Somali pirates, accused of killing four Americans at sea.
If convicted, the defendants could be sentenced to death. While more pirates are being convicted in courts around the world, the kingpins who profit most from the crime continue their work with impunity, reports the VoA.
In the last decade, shipping off the coast of Somalia was subjected to relentless pirate attacks, the numbers peaking in 2011 with 176 reported cases. Now, though, international naval patrols and armed guards on ships are keeping the pirates at bay. But this cannot last for long,adds VoA citing Pottengal Mukundan, director of the International Maritime Bureau.
Despite the current security measures, Mukundan was not aware of a single criminal piracy network that has been dismantled, providing crime bosses with even more incentive to keep operating.
Source: VoA
