Current_Trends_and_Related_Challenges_web

Migrant Smuggling in Asia
authorities, irregular Pakistani migrants indeed
transit in Africa on air routes to Western Europe. 144
Smuggling within and between Western
European countries
For many migrants from South-West Asia, Italy
is an important transit country. 145 Italy is also the
final destination for some Iranian migrants. 146
Smuggled migrants enter Italy by boat from
Greece or, in fewer numbers, on boats from
Albania or Montenegro. In a small number of
cases, smuggled migrants circumvent Greece and
the Balkans, travelling directly from Turkey to Italy
by boat. 147 The boats typically arrive in the cities
of Puglia or Calabria in Italy’s southern coast. 148
Migrants travelling overland along the Western
Balkans route commonly enter Italy through
Slovenia or Austria. 149
Migrants smuggled along the Western Balkans
route or the Eastern European route to Hungary
typically transit in Austria, which is a major
destination for migrants from South-West Asia. 150
In some cases, transport for smuggled Afghan
and Pakistani migrants from Hungary to Germany
or France through Austria and Italy is arranged
through public ‘ridesharing’ or ‘carpooling’
websites. 151 Migrants are also smuggled in cars,
buses or trains from Italy to Tyrol, Austria. 152
Some Afghan migrants intend to seek asylum and
remain in Austria, although it is more common
to transit through Austria en route to Germany.
Some migrants remain in Austria while their
smugglers organize fraudulent travel or identity
documents to facilitate travel to other destinations
in Europe. 153
Germany is a main destination for smuggled
migrants from South-West Asia and also a transit
country for further smuggling into the United
Kingdom or a Scandinavian country. 154 Smuggled
migrants from South-West Asia predominantly
arrive in Germany overland by car, bus or truck
from Austria, the Czech Republic or Poland. 155
In other cases, migrants from Afghanistan enter
Germany through the Netherlands. 156 There are
reports of Afghan and Iraqi migrants arriving in
Germany by air. This usually involves the use of
fraudulent travel or identity documents. In a small
number of cases, Afghan migrants enter sham
marriages to enter and gain permanent residence
in Germany. 157
Similarly, France is both an important destination
and transit country for smuggled migrants from
South-West Asia. 158 Smuggled migrants enter
France by land from Italy or Germany or by air
from such countries as Greece or the United Arab
Emirates. 159 France is often a transit country for
smuggling into the United Kingdom across the
English Channel. 160 It is also a transit country for
some smuggled Afghan and Pakistani migrants
bound for Spain or Portugal. 161
The United Kingdom is a major destination country
for smuggled migrants from South-West Asia. 162
Smuggling into the United Kingdom typically takes
place on a ferry departing from France or Belgium.
Smuggled migrants are concealed in a truck or
van that is then loaded onto a ferry departing for
the United Kingdom. 163 In some cases, the truck
driver is complicit in the smuggling operation,
whereas in other cases the smuggled migrants
are concealed in a cargo compartment without
the driver’s knowledge. 164 The Netherlands has
similarly been identified as a transit country
for smuggling to the United Kingdom. 165 Some
migrants from South-West Asian countries enter
the United Kingdom by air, arriving from a variety
of places, such as Austria, Denmark, Germany,
Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey or
the United Arab Emirates, usually on fraudulent
travel or identity documents. 166 There are also
reports of Pakistani nationals entering into sham
marriages with European spouses to facilitate
their entry into the United Kingdom. 167
Scandinavian countries, Sweden in particular,
are also destinations for smuggled migrants
from South-West Asia. Migrants typically travel
through Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany,
and the Netherlands before arriving in Sweden.
Various forms of land transport are used along
this route, including cars, vans, trucks and
trains. Other migrants arrive in Sweden by air
from other countries in Europe using fraudulent
documentation .168 Similar routes and methods
are also used for the smuggling of migrants to
Norway. Most smuggled migrants arriving in
Norway enter the country through Sweden,
although a significant number arrive by air from
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