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Europol launches new center to fight migrant smuggling

Xinhua, February 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

Europol on Monday launched a European Migrant Smuggling Centre (EMSC) to support European Union (EU) member states in dismantling criminal networks involved in organized migrant smuggling.

The center aims to reinforce cooperation with EU member states, international organizations, national stakeholders and European agencies. "It will provide the necessary platform through which member states can improve their exchange of information and operational coordination in the fight against organized migrant smuggling," said Rob Wainwright, director of Europol.

The launching of center followed a decision from the EU Justice and Home Affairs ministers in November 2015. The center will focus on geographical criminal hotspots, and will build a better capability across the EU to fight people smuggling networks.

"We cannot afford to miss this opportunity to step up our fight against migrant smuggling. We want this center be the catalyst of cooperation with all relevant institutions," said Dimitris Avramopoulos, EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, at the launch ceremony of the center.

In 2015, more than 1 million migrants reached the EU. This trend of exponentially increasing numbers of migrants arriving in the EU is set to continue in 2016, according to Europol research.

Europol's migrant smuggling report said more than 90 percent of the migrants traveling to the EU used facilitation services, in most cases, offered by criminal groups which exploit the desperation and vulnerability of migrants.

"In 2015 alone, criminal networks involved in migrant smuggling are estimated to have had a turnover of between 3 billion euros (3.31 billion U.S. dollars) to 6 billion euros. This turnover is set to double or triple if the scale of the current migration crisis persists in the upcoming year," added the report.

Europol said it holds intelligence on more than 40,000 individuals suspected of being involved in migrant smuggling. In 2015 alone, information on more than 10,000 suspects was shared with Europol, resulting in 1,551 investigations targeting networks active in the EU. The suspects reported to and identified by Europol originate from more than 100 countries.

The new EMSC will be led by Robert Crepinko, a Slovenian police officer who has been director of the nation's investigation system and joined Europol three years ago as head of the unit of organized crime networks.

Europol and Interpol are still doing research on migrant smuggling and a final report will be produced in coming weeks, Crepinko told Xinhua.

"There are a number of cross-border investigations going on in different member states. Many arrests are happening on weekly basis." he said.

In March 2015, Europol launched the Joint Operational Team Mare (JOT MARE). JOT MARE, hosted at Europol's headquarters, is a specialized team of experts whose aim is to combat people smuggling via the Mediterranean and their subsequent secondary movements to destination countries.

The strengthening of JOT Mare and the upgrading of all of Europol activities in this field underpin the creation of the new EMSC, Europol said in its press release. Enditem