Abstract: The study focuses on how piracy in Somalia has evolved from a spontaneous act of protest by local Somali fishermen into a professional and highly-organized business venture. The study traces the shifting of piracy operations from the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the coast of Mogadishu, linking the change in the theater of operation with the internal situation in Somalia and developments around the Horn of Africa. Further, the study looks at the operational aspect and analyzes the steps that are involved in any piracy operation including the selection of maritime targets, hijacking and securing ships and hostages, as well as the techniques of ransom negotiations.