Migrant smuggling is a massive global enterprise, valued between $5.5 and $7 billion annually—comparable to the GDP of countries like the Maldives or Montenegro. Between 2022 and 2023, smugglers transported around 223,000 migrants across the perilous Central Mediterranean Sea route, marking a staggering 60% increase from the previous year. This route, stretching from North Africa to Italy, is notorious for its high mortality rate.
THE EXPANDING SCOPE OF MIGRANT SMUGGLING
Migrant smuggling has evolved beyond a localized issue between neighbouring countries. Many migrants spend years attempting to reach distant destinations, making it increasingly difficult to detect, investigate, and prosecute those responsible for smuggling. Despite its scale, smuggling remains uncriminalized in certain regions, hindering effective law enforcement and promoting impunity among smugglers.
LEGAL AND POLICY CHALLENGES
The lack of comprehensive legal frameworks against migrant smuggling complicates efforts to combat this crime. Without proper legislation, investigators and prosecutors face significant challenges. “We need to keep improving our responses and partnerships to disrupt and dismantle agile criminal networks and go after their profits,” emphasized Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
HUMAN COST AND RISING FATALITIES
Tragic incidents worldwide reveal the brutal realities faced by smuggled migrants. Smugglers often send overcrowded, unsafe boats to sea or confine people in suffocating containers, frequently evading accountability if their human cargo does not survive. The year 2023 was particularly deadly, with over 8,000 migrant and refugee deaths recorded globally—a 20% increase from the previous year. Beyond accidents, UNODC reports extensive instances of physical violence, extortion, gender-based violence, and forced labour inflicted on migrants by smugglers.
FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF MIGRANT SMUGGLING
Smuggling services are costly, with criminals charging up to €6,000 for a Mediterranean crossing and as much as $55,000 for journeys from South Asia to North America. Despite the high profits, financial investigations into smuggling activities are rare. A recent UNODC study, in collaboration with the EU, found that smuggling proceeds are often laundered, fuelling corruption and funding extravagant lifestyles.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND INITIATIVES
For 15 years, the UNODC and the European Union (EU) have collaborated to combat migrant smuggling. Their initiatives include the EU-funded Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT). Since 2015, GLO.ACT has supported partner countries with innovative, demand-driven approaches to tackling smuggling.
SUCCESS STORIES AND ONGOING EFFORTS
“This transnational threat requires joint and concerted action, and I am proud to say that the EU has been a steadfast partner against migrant smuggling, from political engagement and policy exchange to investing in important technical cooperation programmes,” said Waly. Carl Hallergård, Ambassador of the European Union to the United Nations in Vienna, echoed this sentiment, praising the effective cooperation with UNODC.
In November, the European Commission launched a Call to Action for a Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling, reinforcing its partnership with UNODC. This initiative underscores the necessity of a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach to address smuggling effectively.
CASE STUDY: PAKISTAN
“Pakistan is one of the countries to which UNODC and the EU have provided support through GLO.ACT,” noted Waly. The initiative has provided training on intelligence-led investigations, leading to successful convictions. For example, support from GLO.ACT enabled the conviction of those responsible for the 2023 boat tragedy, where over 300 Pakistani migrants perished off the coast of Greece. “The assistance provided by GLO.ACT has enhanced our capacity to prevent and address migrant smuggling, safeguarding the rights and dignity of vulnerable people,” said Abdul Khalique Shaikh, Inspector General of Police Balochistan in Pakistan.
CELEBRATING PARTNERSHIPS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
The joint efforts of UNODC and the EU were highlighted at a special event, “Celebrating EU-UNODC Partnership in Addressing Migrant Smuggling through a Whole-Of-Route Approach,” during the 33rd session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) in Vienna, Austria. Ambassador Naela Gabr, Chairperson of the Egyptian National Coordinating Committee for Combating and Preventing Illegal Migration and Trafficking in Persons, emphasized the importance of a comprehensive approach to addressing smuggling effectively.
