GLOBAL STUDY ON SMUGGLING OF MIGRANTS 2018

1 GLOBAL overview I12018 GLOBAL STUDY ON SMUGGLINGOF MIGRANTSUNITED NATIONSNew York, 2018 GLOBAL STUDY onSmuggling of Migrants2018 UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME ViennaThis publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form foreducational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is citation: UNODC, GLOBAL STUDY on SMUGGLING of MIGRANTS 2018(United Nations publication, Sales No. ).Comments on the report are welcome and can be sent to:Crime Research SectionResearch and Trend Analysis BranchDivision for Policy Analysis and Public AffairsUnited Nations Office on Drugs and Box 5001400 ViennaAustriaE-mail: (+43) 1 26060 0 The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or poli-cies of UNODC, Member States or contributory organizations, and nor does it imply any document has not been formally edited.

2 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expres-sion of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the UnitedNations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, orof its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. United Nations, June 2018. All rights reserved, NATIONS PUBLICATIONS ales No. : 978-92-1-130350-6e-ISBN: 978-92-1-045181-9 PREFACE1 This is the first GLOBAL STUDY on SMUGGLING of MIGRANTS from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).Every year, thousands of MIGRANTS and refugees, desper-ately seeking to escape violence, conflict and dire eco-nomic straits, die on perilous journeys by land, sea or air, often at the hands of criminal smugglers. Concerted, comprehensive action to counter this crime and protect people is research represents a start towards developing a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the crime of migrant SMUGGLING and its terrible toll.

3 Complementing UNODC s existing support to Member States, it can help to inform effective criminal justice responses, and con-tribute to continuing efforts towards the GLOBAL Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular on an extensive review of existing data and litera-ture, the STUDY presents a detailed account of the nature and scale of migrant SMUGGLING . It focuses on major smug-gling routes connecting origin, transit, and destination points; the modus operandi of smugglers; the risks the journeys pose for MIGRANTS and refugees; and the profile of smugglers and the vulnerable groups on which they prey. The GLOBAL STUDY shines a light on patterns, while making clear that there is never a one-size-fits-all explanation. What stands out is the bitter realization that smugglers are developing ever-more sophisticated organizational capacities, and using more dangerous routes to circumvent border controls, while misinforming MIGRANTS about the conditions.

4 Our research also highlights potential avenues for strength-ening measures against migrant SMUGGLING . This includes raising awareness of the dangers posed by smugglers in destination countries. It may also include promoting alternative livelihoods for the lowest-level smugglers, who may be engaging in criminal activities out of the same desperation driving smuggled MIGRANTS to enlist their services. At the same time, improved international cooperation and law enforcement capacities are needed to go after the large-scale criminal organizations that are pulling the STUDY offers insight into the complexity of the smug-gling phenomenon, while also showing how much more information is needed. A GLOBAL data collection system can strengthen the evidence base, and help the international community to come to grips with migrant SMUGGLING .

5 We have a solid basis for such cooperative responses. More than three-quarters of all Member States are party to the SMUGGLING of MIGRANTS Protocol under the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. Going forward, better use of this framework is needed to find solutions to these shared GLOBAL STUDY on SMUGGLING of MIGRANTS 2018 was prepared by the UNODC Crime Research Section under the supervision of Jean-Luc Lemahieu, Director of the Division for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs and Angela Me, Chief of the Research and Trend Analysis TeamsGeneral coordination and content overviewKristiina Kangaspunta and Angela MeInformation gathering, analysis and draftingFabrizio Sarrica (coordination and GLOBAL analysis), Raggie Johansen (coordination and regional analyses), Tejal Jesrani (East and South-East Asia), Cecilia Manzotti (Africa, Europe, Central Asia, South and South-West Asia) and Gabriella Sanchez (the Americas).

6 Graphic design, layout and mapping Suzanne Kunnen, Kristina Kuttnig and Martin Crime Research Section wishes to thank the Section s interns, Julia Litzkow, Gamze Subasi, Nadine L. Salman, Jennifer Vallentine and Michela del Buono who have all made solid contributions to the GLOBAL STUDY . Review and commentsThe GLOBAL STUDY on SMUGGLING of MIGRANTS 2018 benefited from the expertise and invaluable contributions of the UNODC colleagues in the Human Trafficking and Migrant SMUGGLING Section and from the many colleagues at various UNODC Field Offices. Valuable inputs were also received from Ted Leggett and Jesper Samson of the Crime Research Section. UNODC wishes to thank the artist Yasser Rezahi who generously donated the artwork used for this of artwork by Johannes contain pictograms from summary 5 CHAPTER I - GLOBAL OVERVIEW INTRODUCTION 17 GLOBAL PICTURE OF SMUGGLING ROUTES 22 THE SMUGGLED MIGRANTS 32 THE SMUGGLERS 43 THE NUMBER OF MIGRANTS SMUGGLED 54 CHAPTER II - REGIONAL OVERVIEWS AFRICA 71 THE AMERICAS 93 ASIA 109 EUROPE 1435 EXECUTIVE SUMMARYM igrants are

7 Smuggled in all regions of the worldSmuggling of MIGRANTS affects all regions of the world. Different areas are affected to varying degrees. This STUDY describes some 30 SMUGGLING routes, from internal African routes towards North and Southern Africa, to Asian routes towards Europe and the Middle East, or to wealthier coun-tries in South-East Asia and the Pacific. From the Medi-terranean sea routes, to land routes between Latin America and North America; and from the myriad air passages usually undertaken with counterfeit or fraudulently obtained documents, to hazardous overland journeys across deserts and of MIGRANTS is a big business with high profitsThere is evidence that, at a minimum, million MIGRANTS were smuggled for an economic return of US$ billion in 2016. This is equivalent to what the United States of America (some US$7 billion) or the European Union countries (some US$6 billion) spent on humanitarian aid globally in 2016.

8 This is a minimum figure as it represents only the known portion of this crime. These findings, and the considerable information gaps on SMUGGLING of MIGRANTS , will be discussed in chapter smugglers profits stem from the fees they charge MIGRANTS for their services. The fees are largely determined by the distance of the SMUGGLING trajectory, number of border crossings, geographic conditions, means of trans-port, the use of fraudulent travel or identity documents, risk of detection and others. The fees are not fixed, and may change according to the MIGRANTS profiles and their perceived wealth. For example, Syrian citizens are often charged more than many other MIGRANTS for SMUGGLING along the Mediterranean routes (an extra charge that may or may not lead to a safer or more comfortable journey).Supply and demandSmuggling of MIGRANTS follows the same dynamics of other transnational organized crime markets.

9 It is driven by a demand and a supply of SMUGGLING services to circumvent The designations employed and the presentation of material on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or con-cerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties. Final boundary between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan has not yet been determined.* The map is not intended to give a comprehensive overview of all migrant SMUGGLING activity or the magnitude of SMUGGLING taking place in the identified ,000 km1,000 The designations employed and the presentation of material on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

10 Dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties. Final boundary between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan has not yet been determined. Air Sea Land Major land, sea and air SMUGGLING transits and destinations discussed in this STUDY * GLOBAL STUDY ON SMUGGLING OF MIGRANTS 20186existing regulations. The many smugglers who are pre-pared to offer services to facilitate irregular border cross-ings represent the supply of the supply side, smugglers proactive recruitment and misinformation increase the number of MIGRANTS who are willing to buy SMUGGLING services. Smugglers advertise their business where MIGRANTS can be easily reached, such as in neighbourhoods home to diaspora communities, in refugee camps or in various social networks online.