The new report of Europol’s European Migrant Smuggling Centre (EMSC) analyses the latest advances and the main threats in human trafficking and migrant smuggling, based on the most recent operations carried out with the support of Europol. The report highlights the major challenges presented by the current criminal landscape and aims to assist law enforcement agencies in intensifying their fight against criminal networks, which not only deprive people of their dignity but directly threaten their lives.
Human trafficking and migrant smuggling networks are highly adaptable and exploit geopolitical events, including economic and social crises, to maximise their illegal profits. These networks swiftly identify illicit opportunities offered by the digital environment and leverage them to boost their illegal earnings. Criminals exploit social networking platforms, mobile apps, and cryptocurrencies to offer their illicit services, manage logistics and payments, and secure their profits.
In 2015, the European Union faced an unprecedented migration crisis. In response, in 2016, Europol enhanced its support to national police authorities by establishing a dedicated centre, the European Migrant Smuggling Centre of Europol, to facilitate closer cross-border cooperation and swift operational information exchange.
In 2023 alone, Europol provided support to 223 operations against migrant smuggling and human trafficking networks. The agency also provided 1,231 operational reports to law enforcement authorities to advance their investigations in 2023. Europol has further expanded the concept of Operational Task Forces (OTFs) in this crime area, with 11 OTFs targeting migrant smuggling and human trafficking networks.
Investigations into human trafficking and migrant smuggling reveal a complex and dynamic criminal environment in which actors exploit existing infrastructures and engage in various illegal activities. These criminal networks are also involved in other illicit activities, such as trafficking in drugs and firearms, document fraud, and violence. Human trafficking and smuggling of migrants are interconnected, particularly in cases where undocumented migrants are in debt to their traffickers and end up in labour or sexual exploitation schemes to pay off smuggling fees. The links between migrant smuggling, terrorism, and terrorist financing are especially concerning.
The main features of criminal networks involved in migrant and human trafficking:
• Strong links with other crime areas and crime enablers.
• High level of flexibility and adaptability
• Exploitation of geopolitical, economic, environmental, and social crises.
• Intense cooperation with other cross-border criminal networks within and outside the EU.
• Extension of violence towards irregular migrants, law enforcement, competitors, and within the criminal networks themselves.
• Increase in the digitalisation of the fundamental components of criminal activities.
The European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT) addresses the major threats posed by serious and organised international crime affecting the EU. EMPACT strengthens intelligence, strategic and operational cooperation between national authorities, Union institutions and bodies, and international partners. EMPACT is carried out in four-year cycles focusing on the European Union’s common crime priorities.
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