Piracy and armed robbery at sea in Southeast Asia: Organized and fluid

Abstract

Piracy and armed sea robbery in Southeast Asia remains very much alive and active despite its reduction in the international media spotlight since the dramatic proliferation of hijackings off the Horn of Africa. Although some littorol states have made significant successes in capturing and prosecuting pirates and gang robbers, the maritime crime continues to outpace law enforcement initiatives. Piracy and armed sea robbery in the region therefore remains highly fluid and dynamic. This article focuses specifically on piracy and armed robbery in the Singapore Strait as well as the southern South China Sea examining seasonal patterns, trends and modus operandi, as well as the criminal syndicates behind the incidents. © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.