Police in Spain and France arrest 29 for migrant trafficking
Europol said 29 people have been arrested in France and Spain, accused of being part of a criminal ring involved in trafficking migrants, including minors.
human traffickers
UN says local Libyan authorities involved in migrant traffic
A report released by the United Nations in early September accused Libyan local and state authorities of being involved in human trafficking. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wrote in the report that both local and state authorities in Libya are involved in the human trafficking of migrants. The UN said that the information it had received in order to write the report was "credible."
Three arrested in Sicily for torturing refugees in Libya
Italian authorities have arrested three people accused of detaining and torturing dozens of migrants, who were hoping to travel to Italy, at a camp in Libya. The three suspects face charges including human trafficking.
Council of Europe urges protection from traffickers for migrants
The Council of Europe on Thursday urged member states to step up protection for the victims of human trafficking; underscoring that migrant flows in the Mediterranean are an example of how the lack of access to Europe fails to protect victims of human traffickers.
Serbia: 2,412 migrants in reception centers
The number of migrants in Serbian reception centers has fallen significantly. Meanwhile, authorities throughout the Balkans are continuing operations to arrest traffickers.
'We were terrified, but we were coming from hell'
18-year-old Feven, a migrant from Eritrea, was rescued at sea by the Spanish migrant aid organization Proactiva Open Arms. After she disembarked on the island of Lampedusa, she recounted the horrors of her journey to the UNHCR.
Into the unknown: African migrants in Yemen
Many migrants from East Africa choose a route that is less known, cheaper and even more dangerous than the Mediterranean: They cross the Gulf of Aden and land in war-torn Yemen. Many were unaware of the conflict.
Italy frees Eritrean national mistaken for human trafficker
An Eritrean carpenter residing in Sudan was arrested in 2016 as part of a joint British-Italian operation. Three years later, a court in Sicily said he isn't the human trafficking kingpin they wanted.
Niger's migrant smugglers use ever deadlier routes through the Sahara
Smugglers are turning to perilous routes through the desert, or even dumping those hoping to reach North Africa. DW visited the transit hub of Agadez where efforts are being made to rescue migrants lost in the Sahara.
New Europol task force to tackle human trafficking
Europol set up a new task force in charge of combating human trafficking networks. Its head Robert Crepinko said that in addition to addressing new ways of smuggling, the task force would also deal with the use of fraudulent documents, money laundering and the role of social media in illegal migration. He also stressed that there is a rise in violence among smuggling gangs as a means to maximize profits.
UNHCR: Mediterranean crossings more dangerous than ever before
The UN refugee agency UNHCR has issued a warning that Mediterranean sea crossings have become increasingly dangerous for migrants. Analyzing statistical data, a representative of the UN refugee agency says that drownings have become much more likely to occur in recent years, partly due to changing refugee policies in the EU.
Italy: Nigerian group involved in human trafficking dismantled
Italian authorities have arrested four people on suspicion of human trafficking and aiding prostitution. The arrests also lead to the dismantling of the group that was allegedly operating in Nigeria, Libya and Italy.