Migrant Smuggling Data and Research

Review of migrant smuggling research
Research that is focused specifically on smuggling is rare. Most research on
smuggling has been conducted within broader research on irregular migration.
One of the few organizations that has conducted research on smuggling
specifically is UNODC. While UNODC has looked at smuggling as a general global
issue (for example, McAdam and Nicot, 2011; Bouteillet-Paquet, 2011), it has also
conducted research on smuggling in, from and through North Africa specifically
(for example, UNODC, 2006; Monzini, 2010). However, the last UNODC study of
this nature was conducted in 2011, and the migration and smuggling dynamics
in the region have changed significantly in the last five years; first, after the
Libyan Revolution of 2011, and then after the ongoing political crisis of 2014 in
Libya (Malakooti, 2015a).
In fact, there is little research, specifically primary research, conducted
in the region post-2014 when Libya became increasingly unstable. Most of
the research post-2014 draws on secondary research and, where interviews
have been conducted with individuals in Libya, it is usually remotely and not
with migrants or smugglers themselves (for example, Abdel Aziz, Monzini and
Pastrone, 2015; Toaldo, 2015a and 2015b; Wolff, 2015; Reitano, Adal and Shaw,
2014 and 2015). While there are some post-2014 studies that include primary
research in Libya (see Malakooti, 2015a) most omit Libya altogether (see
European Union Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs, 2015).
Even IOM has had challenges conducting research in Libya in recent years (see
IOM, 2015a).
Coinciding with the Libyan political crisis of 2014 was a large increase in
the number of migrants transiting through North Africa on their way to Europe,
or moving from North Africa to Europe in the same year. 20 This led to a situation
that started being termed as the “Mediterranean Crisis” and thus, led to a
proliferation of research and analysis on the Mediterranean that looked at North
Africa as a transit region for journeys to Europe. The New-Med Research Network
was presumably established for this reason and produced quite a few papers in
2015 for this purpose (see also Malakooti, 2015a; Townsend and Oomen, 2015).
However, when analysing smuggling dynamics, such research tends to focus on
entry points into Libya and then boat journeys across the Mediterranean with
little regard for intraregional smuggling dynamics.
20
It is very likely that some of these migrants had been living in Libya for some time and were pushed out of
Libya and to Europe in 2014 because of the instability in Libya (see Malakooti, 2015a).
Migrant Smuggling Data and Research:
A global review of the emerging evidence base
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