Guled Diriye, an alcohol smuggler, is worn out.
Just back from a trip transporting contraband from the Ethiopian border, the 29-year-old sits slumped in a chair inside a colonial-style villa in Mogadishu, a city once known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, now battered by years of conflict.
His sandals are covered in orange desert dust, his dark eyes tired from sleepless nights and tense hours navigating dangerous roads and checkpoints.
Haunted by the memory of a fellow smuggler shot dead, Mr Diriye explains that he turned to smuggling to support his family in a tough economic climate.
Although alcohol is illegal in Somalia due to Sharia law, the demand remains high, especially among young people.
Introduced to smuggling by a neighbor during tough times as a minibus-taxi driver, Mr Diriye began picking up boxes of alcohol in Mogadishu and gradually expanded his operations to include trips from the Ethiopian border.
Despite knowing he is breaking the law, poverty drives Mr Diriye to continue his risky endeavors.
With a network of fellow smugglers from different clans to navigate through dangerous territories, Mr Diriye faces constant threats and challenges on his smuggling routes.
Despite the dangers, Mr Diriye sees smuggling as a way out of poverty, even as he faces the constant threat of violence and conflict on his journeys.
Mi cargador estaba gritando mientras se agachaba en el asiento del pasajero. El conductor sustituto fue asesinado.
Una vez que cesó la conmoción, el cargador y el Sr. Diriye recogieron a su difunto colega del asiento delantero y lo pusieron en la parte trasera del camión.
“Nunca había visto tanta sangre en mi vida. Tuve que limpiarla del volante y seguir conduciendo. En todos mis años, nada me preparó para lo que vi ese día.” The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.”
“The fast brown fox leaped over the tired dog.”