29 March 2011 VOA News Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland has opened a prison to hold pirates, funded by the United Nations.
The U.N. spent $1.5 million to refurbish a prison in the regional capital, Hargeisa. The project is aimed at making conditions in Somalia acceptable for countries wanting to repatriate captured pirates instead of releasing them.
However, local officials say they have not agreed to house prisoners who are not from Somaliland, including those who are from other parts of Somalia.
The prison is currently holding about 70 pirates, most of whom were captured by the Somaliland coast guard.
Somalia-based pirates have been making millions of dollars in ransom by seizing ships off the Somali coast, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
International naval forces operating off the Somali coast sometimes catch suspected pirates but usually release them because of the cost and legal difficulties of prosecuting them.
Somaliland declared independence in 1991 and runs its own affairs but is not recognized by any nation.