Migrant Smuggling Data and Research

Another important point to be discussed within this context is the extent
of exploitation and abuse by smugglers leading to the death of migrants. The
Turkish Coast Guard saved more than 91,000 migrants/refugees in 2015 (quoted
in Akgül, Kaptı and Demir, 2015:14), but 3,605 people drowned while trying to
reach European shores in the same year (IOM, 2015). Earlier reports pointed out
the strong interpersonal trust between migrant smugglers and those smuggled
in Turkey (Yılmaz, 2003; European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA),
2013). However, the heavy human toll at sea demonstrates that the human
security is endangered by migrant smugglers. According to an ethnographic
study on migrant smuggling in Turkey, irregular migrants were reportedly under
heavy pressure, and they described migrant smugglers as aggressive, rude and
sometimes physically violent (İçli, Sever and Sever, 2015:3–4). It is obvious that
due to the Syrian crisis and large numbers of migrants entering Turkey within the
last years, the unprecedented levels of migrant smuggling has surely surpassed
the capacities of the Government of Republic of Turkey to address this problem
alone (Akgül, Kaptı and Demir, 2015:14).
The financial and other costs to migrants in human smuggling vary in
accordance with the smuggling operation, namely the starting and destination
point, the routes taken, and the mode of transportation. Therefore, the prices
paid to the migrant smugglers depend significantly in the ease of access and risks
involved during border crossings. For example, smugglers charge only USD 100
for single border crossing from one side to another, from neighbouring countries
along the eastern borders to the nearest Turkish towns. Border crossing at the
western provinces of Turkey to the European Union countries is more costly
though – it starts from USD 500 or USD 1,000 and can be even as high as
EUR 20,000 per person if air travel and fake passports are involved. There are
also reports suggesting that crossing the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece in a
luxury yacht costs a migrant EUR 3,000 whereas travel in a simple inflatable raft
is much cheaper (ICMPD, 2015). If the smuggling is a package deal, that is, if the
migrant is taken from his/her hometown to a destination point in the west, it
may reach up to EUR 5,000 or higher depending on the final arrival. 42
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Those migrants taking the long route are known as uzuncu in Turkish.
Migrant Smuggling Data and Research:
A global review of the emerging evidence base
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