Piracy Pays Off for Criminal UnderworldA joint
World Bank-UN Office on Drugs and Crime-
Interpol study estimates that between 2005 and 2012 acts of
piracy brought in $339 million to $413 million in
ransom payouts. Most of this money goes not to the pirates themselves but to the financiers behind them. These kingpins then use their ill-gotten gains to fund both legitimate business activities as well as various criminal operations, including further piracy,
human trafficking, and drug and arms dealing.
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