Report overview

Globally, migrant smuggling receives a considerable amount of media, policy and public attention, and is the focus of law enforcement activities and operations around the world. It has also become an increasingly significant focus of international cooperation between States, as well as examination by academic researchers. It is widely acknowledged that much more needs to be understood about migrant smuggling processes and changing dynamics, especially as they relate to negative consequences for migrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, who have few or no options to reach safety. This report – the second volume of the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Migrant Smuggling Data and Research: A global review of the emerging evidence base – aims to further add to the existing evidence base on migrant smuggling by building on the first volume. It does so in two main ways. First, it includes chapters on regions and countries that were not included in the first volume, such as Canada, Central Asia, Middle East, the Russian Federation and Southern Africa. Second, it provides more detailed discussions on countries and subregions that were included in much broader chapters in volume 1. For example, the discussion of Mexico and Ecuador in the volume 1 chapter on Latin America has been expanded in specific individual chapters on the two countries in this volume.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Reduced Inequalities