18:12 16-2-0
A report released this afternoon by the Delta Omega Iota Alliance's Policing Division has revealed that piracy is on the increase in nearly every region under DOIA control. In many regions it has increase by over 50% over last year's figures, and in some inner regions, such as Cascade it has shown growth of up to 600%.
A recent series of high profile attacks by pirate groups operating from poorly policed space on the borders between DOIA and it's enemy's on large freighter vessels and even military ships have brought the once rare crime of piracy into the spotlight. Many shipping companies operating in the border regions have been forced to hire mercenaries and security forces to protect their shipments from marauding criminals. Several of the largest corporations in the Delta Pact have banded together to demand better protection from the Combined Delta Military. The report estimated that over 70 thousand lives and 16 billion credits were lost to pirates in the last year; causing a small, but noticeable dent in the alliance economy.
The report comes only days after the Canthian Federation Military freighter, Vaskarl, was hijacked by ships from the so-called "Burning Skull" gang. The group of cruisers escorting the Vaskarl were destroyed in the engagement and the freighter has been missing since it broadcast a distress call more than 27 hours ago.
When asked for his response to the threat of piracy, Supreme Commander Ardugrafar, dismissed it as an unfortunate reality of an unstable and war-torn galaxy. In an impromptu press conference outside the Canthian military base on Daskaros, he stated: "We are doing all we can to protect our citizens from any threat against them, but we cannot hope to keep everyone compeltely safe all of the time. Obviously we have greater concerns than a few pirates and we cannot afford to divert our attention to the far greater threats that face us. The "Burning Skulls", however, will not be causing any further trouble in Adea or any other region."
He refused to comment further on how the pirates had been dealt with aside from confirming that their leader, the infamous Gazak Dreadfist, was dead. He also announced that the Vaskarl was believed to have been destroyed by the pirates after her cargo had been removed.
Police commanders across DOIA have reacted to the report with statements pledging to do more to combat piracy.
