An Introduction to Human Trafficking - United Nations Office on ...

AN INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING: VULNERABILITY, IMPACT AND ACTION
There is no way of assessing the value of remittances sent home by trafficked and/or
exploited persons, given that trafficked persons, by definition, are not in control of the
money that is earned as a result of their labour or services. The fact that the profits of
trafficking derive from the exploitation of its victims, which may include keeping a great
part of their earnings and thus preventing victims from sending remittances home or, at
least, reducing remittances, should have an impact on the benefits outlined above.
D.—The profits of organized crime
In 2005, ILO estimated that there were 12.3 million people in forced labour worldwide, of
whom about 2.4 million had been trafficked, both internally and across borders. 51 The
profits of trafficking are significant. Unlike smuggling of migrants, which produces a one-time
profit, trafficking involves the long-term exploitation of individuals, which translates in<strong>to</strong>
continuous income. Recent ILO estimates suggest that the global profits of trafficking in
human beings are around $31.6 billion annually. Based on the previously cited numbers of
trafficked persons, this translates in<strong>to</strong> an annual illicit profit of $13,000 per victim. 52
The International Monetary Fund assesses the annual turnover of criminal organizations
at some $1,500 billion internationally. 53 <strong>Trafficking</strong> in persons is believed <strong>to</strong> be the third
largest source of the profits for international organized crime after trafficking in drugs and
arms. 54 <strong>Trafficking</strong> in persons guarantees criminal networks a stable and regular source of
income with little risk, enabling them <strong>to</strong> form additional rings for other lucrative and
dangerous illicit activities. 55 These profits have funded the expansion of international,
regional and local criminal groups, contributed <strong>to</strong> corruption and undermined the rule of
law. 56 Information suggests that traffickers have effectively used the new opportunities
created by changes in international restrictions on movements of goods, money and
services, and the creation and development of new global markets and new technologies,
<strong>to</strong> operate increasingly at the international level. 56
The structure and size of the organized criminal groups involved in human trafficking
range from small local networks <strong>to</strong> large transnational organizations. Those who benefit
include recruiters, document forgers, brokers, brothel owners, debt collec<strong>to</strong>rs and
managers/owners of employment agencies. Corrupt immigration officials, consular
workers, embassy personnel, members of law enforcement bodies and border guards
accept bribes in exchange for passports, visas and safe transit. As a major global crime,
human trafficking is also often intermixed with other organized illicit activities, including
51
International Labour <strong>Office</strong>, A Global Alliance against Forced Labour: Global Report under the Follow-up <strong>to</strong> the
ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (Geneva, International Labour <strong>Office</strong>, 2005), pp. 11-14
(see www.ilo.org/dyn/declaris/DECLARATIONWEB.DOWNLOAD_BLOB?Var_DocumentID=5059).
52
Patrick Belser, Forced Labour and <strong>Human</strong> <strong>Trafficking</strong>: Estimating the Profits, working paper (Geneva, International
Labour <strong>Office</strong>, March 2005), p. 17 (see www.ilo.org/sapfl/Informationresources/ILOPublications/lang--en/docName--
WCMS_081971/index.htm).
53
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Parliamentary Assembly, Subcommittee on Democratic Governance,
Organised Crime: Drug and <strong>Human</strong> <strong>Trafficking</strong> in Europe, document 141 CCDG 03 E (NATO, 2003), para. 50
(see www.na<strong>to</strong>-pa.int/Default.asp?SHORTCUT=368)
54
“<strong>Human</strong> trafficking exposed”, Population Today, vol. 30, No. 1 (2002), pp. 1 and 4 (for Quotation see
www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/crimjust/human.htm).
55
North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Organised Crime … , para. 73.
56
<strong>An</strong>dreas Schloenhardt, Organised Crime and the Business of Migrant <strong>Trafficking</strong>: an Economic <strong>An</strong>alysis (Canberra,
Australian Institute of Criminology, 10 November 1999), pp. 51 and 77
(see www.aic.gov.au/conferences/occasional/schloenhardt.html).
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