Human smuggling: crime or service?

New York

SMUGGLING is a ruthless crime for governments, but for millions of people it's regarded as an invaluable service. More than a decade ago, governments collectively adopted an international protocol to prevent and combat smuggling of migrants by land, sea and air. Nevertheless, people continue to rely on human smuggling as a means to improve their own personal lives as well as those of families and friends.

Certainly, human smugglers can be ruthless and unscrupulous, and smuggled migrants are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Still, asylum seekers and unauthorised migrants desire the service and are willing to pay. For many unauthorised migrants, smugglers are freedom facilitators.