Monday, November 15, 2010
The sea pirates use the financial hub of Dubai and Somalia’s southern neighbour Kenya as key transit points to launder the millions of dollars in ransom money by organised and wealthy gangs.
“We think that they have a network of correspondents in the region to negotiate the ransoms and to transfer part of the money,” an international expert who declined to be named told AFP.
Another expert who is based in the United Arab Emirates said Dubai was a platform where the pirates do their business. “Dubai is one of the places where they launder the ransom money,” said the expert, who also spoke on condition of anonymity.
“It’s the irony of Dubai. The bulk of negotiations are conducted here, the deliveries are arranged by security companies that are here, the money is delivered or transferred and ends up here, discretely,” he said.
The US State Department has also identified the UAE, whose seven emirates include Dubai, and Kenya as centres pirates are using to run their illegal operations.
“Reportedly, the UAE is used as a financial centre by pirate networks operating off the coast of Somalia and for corrupt officials in Afghanistan and Pakistan,” it said in its 2010 International Narcotics Strategy report.
Source: AFP