The retirement of the pirate leader Mohamed Abdi Hassan, also known as "Afweyne," has generated much media coverage, but the real significance of his announcement is the indication it gives of how Somalia's pirates currently view their business model. It appears that hijacking vessels in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden is no longer seen as a relatively risk-free affair. Somalia's 3025-km coastline is the longest in Africa, and lies along busy shipping lanes that are crucial for the transport of goods from Asia to Europe, and of oil from the Gulf. It is estimated that between 20 and 30,000 ships pass through this area every year. For more than a decade, this environment has provided rich pickings for pirates launching small skiffs from Somalia's coast, hoping to hold up a ship with its cargo and crew until a ransom is paid by the ship's owner. In 2008, piracy began to gain international attention as the number of attacks and the amount demanded in ransoms increased dramatically.Pirate Mohamed Abdi Hassan, known as "Afweyne," announces retirementPiracy began to gain international attention in 2008 as number of attacks grewAfweyne got notoriety as organizer of two high-profile hijackings, says Adjoa AnyimaduPiracy off coast of Somalia is no longer as lucrative as it once was, says Anyimadu
It may seem unfair that a figure like _ appears to have gone unpunished for longstanding criminal activity.