Migrant Smuggling Data and Research

Review of migrant smuggling research
Much of the existing literature relating to smuggling focuses on irregular
migration to Europe from traditional source countries, which includes Pakistan.
However, the focus on research of smuggling activities in Sri Lanka, India and
Bangladesh is limited. The existing literature has been discussed categorizing
them into two groups: (a) grey literature; and (b) academic research. Although
the boundary between these categories is not always clear, the literature under
the purview of academic research employs systematic methodology and passes
through rigorous peer review process compared to the grey literature, which
may place less emphasis on these factors.
Grey literature
There exist a large number of publications covering issues around irregular
migration from South Asia in the form of reports and policy briefs produced by
governmental, non-governmental and multilateral organizations. Based on the
analysis of 31 publications (albeit not an exhaustive list), over two thirds of the
relevant research has been specifically funded by international organizations,
although over three quarters of the two thirds were undertaken in partnership
with private institutions and/or academia. The funded work is largely applied
research. Many of these studies have policy implications and suggestions;
however, some specifically refrain from providing policy advice, although the
results can be used to frame policy. Some grey literature examines the status
and conditions faced by irregular migrants from Bangladesh, including Rohingya
in Thailand and Malaysia (UNHCR, IOM and UNODC, 2015) and policy proposals
to address irregular migration in Bangladesh and Myanmar (UNHCR, 2015a).
The literature on Pakistan discusses the migrant smuggling market, offering
insights into the roles and networks of smugglers, trends of human trafficking
and migrant smuggling (UNODC, 2013), cross-border migration between
Afghanistan and Pakistan (Davin and Majidi, 2009). Studies on Sri Lanka analyse
the migrant smuggling market and the role of smugglers and networks (Raghavan
and Jayasuriya, 2016b), characteristics of migrants and the decision-making
processes (Howie, 2014; Hugo and Dissanayake, 2014), and drivers of irregular
migration (Jayasuriya and McAuliffe, 2013). There are also some multi-country
studies; for instance, McAuliffe (2013) examines the views of irregular migrants,
including those coming from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in terms
of decision-making, drivers and migration journeys. Others explore drivers of
irregular migration and the size of migrant flows (Jayasuriya and McAuliffe,
2013), smuggler’s business model (Raghavan and Jayasuriya, 2016a and 2016b;
Barker, 2013), and the trends of migrant smuggling, complexity and challenges
(UNODC, 2015).
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8. South Asia