Mohamed Abdi Hassan

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Mohamed Abdi Hassan, known as Afweyne (Big Mouth), is a Somali figure who rose from piracy to become a famous pirate leader and later a businessman. Born in Harardhere in southern Somalia, he led the Hobyo-Harardhere Piracy Network from 2005, growing into one of Somalia’s most powerful pirates. Over the years, his group hijacked dozens of ships and earned millions in ransom. The network was tied to high-profile hijackings, including the Sirius Star and the Faina, and Hassan even drew praise from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2009.

As piracy expanded, Hassan reportedly linked with various players and, according to a 2010 interview, paid a security fee to Al-Shabaab—though he denied any political ties. He used some of his ransom gains to diversify into a multinational business empire. A 2011 UN report said he bought khat in Kenya with ransom profits for resale to pirates along Somalia’s coast.

In 2012 Hassan said he was leaving piracy to focus on legitimate business and claimed to have persuaded many colleagues to quit. He briefly came under legal pressure when Malaysia detained him in 2012, but he was released after Mogadishu granted him diplomatic immunity. A 2013 UN report described him as one of the most influential leaders of the Hobyo-Harardhere piracy network.

That year, in Adado, he announced his retirement from crime and pressed for amnesty and rehabilitation programs for pirates. He set up the Anti-Piracy Agency in Mogadishu and sought funds for camps to train reformed pirates. He also pursued a deal to release captives in exchange for money, but the plan fell apart amid internal disputes and misused funds.

In October 2013 Hassan was arrested in Belgium for allegedly masterminding the 2009 hijacking of the Belgian dredge Pompei and for abducting its crew. Belgian prosecutors used a sting operation in Brussels after luring him with a film project, leading to his capture. In March 2016 he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for leading the Pompei hijacking, becoming the first pirate leader to be prosecuted by the international community. Because of legal technicalities, his piracy wealth was not confiscated. Tiiceey, Hassan’s ally and the former governor who helped him, received five years and was acquitted on some charges.

Hassan has a son, Abdiqaadir, who worked with him in his business ventures. He remains a notable example of a pirate who tried to shift from crime to business and later faced international legal action.