"Hardline migration policies adopted by governments across the globe have been a boon for people smugglers, fuelling demand and allowing them to raise their prices, according to a report. The findings, released on Thursday by the Mixed Migration Centre of the Danish Refugee Council, and based on interviews with thousands of migrants and hundreds of smugglers, come as officials prepare to gather next week in Brussels to discuss how best to combat smuggling."
"The centre said it had timed the release in order to provide policymakers who have embraced slogans such as the British government's smash the gangs with evidence that could guide the discussions. Governments say they want to break the business model' of smugglers, yet our data shows the opposite is happening, Roberto Forin, the acting director of the Geneva-based centre, said in a statement."
"The findings draw on more than 80,000 interviews with people who were on the move across the globe between 2019 and the first half of 2025. More than 50,000 of them said they had used smugglers, with many of them linking their decision to the absence of accessible opportunities for legal migration. The researchers also spoke with 458 smugglers in west and north Africa between 2021 and 2025."
Hardline migration policies worldwide have increased demand for people smugglers and allowed smugglers to raise prices. A global dataset includes more than 80,000 interviews with migrants between 2019 and mid-2025, of whom over 50,000 reported using smugglers and often cited lack of accessible legal migration options. Researchers conducted interviews with 458 smugglers in west and north Africa between 2021 and 2025. The evidence indicates that stricter enforcement and tougher policies are fuelling demand rather than breaking smugglers' business model. The timing of the release aims to inform upcoming policy discussions in Brussels on combating smuggling.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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