The film reveals the plight of Somali pirates, mostly former fishermen, who as a result of the global fishing industry can no longer make a living from the sea as they once did and have to join up with pirate cartels in order to feed themselves and their families.

Hassan is a young Somali living in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya, who through a fixer tells stories to Western journalists about his experiences as a pirate. All runs smoothly - Hassan and the fixer are paid nicely, journalists complete their assignments, and readers worldwide get an interesting article to read over their morning coffee. Yet Hassan is playing a double game and none of his stories are true...Pirating Pirates stumbles through the dirty world of fake Somali pirates.