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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
How do you keep unaccompanied children in the UK safe from trafficking? That was the question addressed by a pilot project from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) which concluded recently.
Italian authorities have arrested two Pakistani nationals as they were allegedly attempting to take undocumented migrants to France.
Italian police have arrested three foreign nationals suspected of taking undocumented migrants from Italy to Germany.
Human trafficking between Africa and Europe has not only thrived in recent years, it has grown into a highly abusive system involving corrupt elites and political networks. Jan Philipp-Scholz, the author of a new book on the migration business, has spoken with migrants in Africa on nearly every step of their journey. Their testimonies reveal the extent of abuse and human rights violations happening on Europe’s doorstep.
Abdallah Hidou, better known as Malohiya, is awaiting trial on charges of trafficking migrants to Italy from Niger. His arrest was the result of a joint African and European police investigation.
Prosecutors in Italy have requested the indictment of four foreign nationals accused of being human traffickers. They were allegedly responsible for the migrant boat that was later rescued by the Italian Coast Guard ship Diciotti. The boat is at the center of a legal case involving Interior Minister Matteo Salvini.