At the mercy of criminals

Many migrants put their fate in the hands of human smugglers. This is a very risky path, since no one knows where they will end up. Some people have reported that smugglers have run out of fuel and demand higher fares, while other threaten to leave people in the middle of the desert if their demands are not met. Women and children are at especially high risk of suffering from violence or sexual abuse. Some human smugglers turn out to be traffickers who force their victims to prostitution or other forms of modern slavery.

Human trafficking is a lucrative industry. Given an estimated global profit of more than $30 billion per year, it is second only to drug trafficking as the most profitable illegal industry in the world.

There are also other people on the path to Europe who hold out their hands demanding money: corrupt security forces, customs officers, border police or prison guards have all been known to require bribes not to turn in human smugglers and the people they escort. A person without a legal visa or residence permit is a potential victim to criminals in any country of the world.

Author: Klaus Dahmann

Editor: Sean Sinico