Current_Trends_and_Related_Challenges_web

Current Trends and Challenges
city of Edirne. Some smuggled migrants cross the
border on foot in the rural area between the main
and Lesovo. Alternatively, migrants may cross
the Evros (Maritsa) River into Greece and then
proceed to Bulgaria. When crossing the border,
smuggled migrants are generally unaccompanied
but are given instructions on where to meet
another member of the smuggling organization
on the other side of the border. In other cases,
migrants are concealed in a car, truck or van or
enter with a valid or fraudulent visa. 129 Bulgaria
is usually a transit country for onward smuggling
to Western Europe. For some Afghan migrants,
Bulgaria is a destination country in which they
seek asylum. 130
From Bulgaria, most migrants are smuggled to
Romania and on to Hungary. This may take place
on foot or concealed in a vehicle. 131 From Hungary,
the migrants either travel to Austria or Germany,
sometimes via Slovakia, the Czech Republic or
Poland. In other cases, migrants enter Slovakia
directly from Ukraine. 132 As with other crossings
on the Eastern European route, a number of
methods of entry are used to enter Slovakia
from Hungary and Ukraine, including clandestine
crossings in a vehicle, on foot or at official border
checkpoints using fraudulent documents. 133
Smuggling through Central Asia, Russia and the
Baltic States
A less common route to Europe taken by migrants
from South-West Asia involves travel from the
Islamic Republic of Iran into Azerbaijan, Georgia
and Russia. Entry into Azerbaijan typically
involves the use of fraudulent travel or identity
documents. 134 From Russia, smuggled migrants
are taken through the Baltic States and/or Belarus
and Ukraine to Poland, Romania or Slovakia.
Information on the smuggling along this route
predominantly relates to the smuggling of
Afghan nationals, although the route is also used
to smuggle migrants from a number of other
countries. 135
Migrants heading to a Scandinavian country
generally transit in Latvia before entering Estonia.
Crossings into Estonia commonly take place in
large groups on foot at night in forested areas along
the border. In other cases, migrants are smuggled
into Estonia by bus or private car. Once in Estonia,
migrants typically head to the capital of Tallinn
where they board a ferry to Finland. Fraudulent
Latvian and Estonian documents are often used
to purchase a ferry ticket. 136 Recent reports also
suggest that Estonia has become a destination for
smuggled migrants from Afghanistan. 137
Smuggled migrants heading to Western Europe
may transit in Lithuania, entering the country
from Belarus or Latvia. According to Lithuanian
authorities, land crossings into the country
typically take place on foot at night, in groups of
five to ten migrants, accompanied by a smuggler.
From Lithuania, migrants are smuggled into
Poland, often in a car or van but without any
attempt to conceal the smuggled migrants.
Poland is primarily a transit country for smuggling
migrants to Germany or other parts of Western
Europe. 138
Other South-West Asian migrants are smuggled
from Russia to Poland through Belarus. The border
between Russia and Belarus reportedly is not well
patrolled and therefore smuggling across it can
be done with ease. 139 Some smuggled migrants
continue from Belarus to Ukraine and Romania,
sometimes through Moldova, and then continue
on the routes just described. 140
Smuggling to Europe by air
Some migrants are smuggled from South-West
Asia to Europe by air. 141 Pakistani migrants who
are smuggled to Europe by air depart from
Karachi, Lahore or Islamabad and fly directly to
their European destination or transit through
any number of other airports in Africa, the Gulf
region, Russia, South or South-East Asia. 142
Smuggling to Europe via Africa
A 2008 report noted that some smuggled migrants
from South-West Asia, particularly migrants
from Pakistan, were transiting in Africa before
entering Europe by air. National authorities in
East Africa and southern Africa, such as Mauritius,
Mozambique, South Africa, and Uganda, reported
that Pakistani nationals arrive on flights from Asia
to legally acquire a visa for entry into Western
Europe. 143 According to Pakistani and German
27