Smuggling run raises questions over security | EVE Online

Smuggling run raises questions over security

2005-01-25 - By Svarthol

Smuggling, an all too common problem in our galaxy. There are many pilots who have tried it at some point in their careers, with their cargoes sometimes being more illicit than others.

While the shipment of humans, most notably slaves is not frowned upon by all of the races, it is seen by those who oppose it as one of the most unacceptable cargos to carry. Such is this feeling that pilots took the matters into their own hands.

A convoy was detected moving slaves from Gallente space, through the backwaters of Minmatar territory to Amarr systems, apparently to be sold on to the slavers interested in their cargo. The support was strong; two Armageddon class battleships flanked the convoy. It was this which forced the finders to seek help.

Asking in the Minmatar racial channel and in the local communication net, Gadulor Yomsion, fleet co-ordinator, recruited almost fifty pilots who were willing to attack the slaver convoy. A response he said he never could have hoped for, let alone expected. Some of the pilots travelled over 15 jumps to rendezvous with the ever growing attack fleet.

When their numbers were sufficient, they swarmed towards the convoy, some pilots even overtaking them in their haste to catch their targets.

The two Armageddons were the first to go, the sheer numbers faced by them was overwhelming to the point where even their top of the line equipment had little effect.

The slaver bestower, piloted by Luratene Dima, was harder to get. He managed to jump outsystem before the Matari pilots could catch him. But when his ship was caught, the attack was swift and merciless. His ship was destroyed and his pod was cracked open, mere metres from the safety of a station.

When pilots went to retrieve the slaves from the wreckage they were in for a shock however. Intermingled with the life-support cargo pods containing the human slaves, were other pods which contained the Vitoc in large amounts. A vast quantity it was recovered.

The question of how the convoy managed to get through both Gallente and Matari space with two batches of seriously illegal cargo has been raised following this event, with some people furious at the customs authorities for allowing such a grievous breach of security.

Police in both empires are on the lookout for Luratene Dima and his cohorts to ask them that very question; however, until they are found all anyone can do is speculate.