Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Pirate payoff? Somali govt impounds planes of cash

A Somali lawmaker says authorities have impounded two planes in the Somali capital carrying millions of dollars in cash.

Asha Abdalla says the planes were impounded Tuesday because of fears of money laundering.

A Somali official says the planes are used by companies that frequently deliver ransoms to pirates and that they have the necessary documentation to allow them to travel through Somali airspace. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the press.

Somali pirates frequently collect multimillion ransoms which are delivered in containers attached to a parachute that are pushed off the back of a plane. Decades of conflict in Somalia has allowed piracy to flourish off its coast.

Source: The Associated Press

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