Smuggling attempts have become more efficient in recent years. To avoid detection from law enforcement authorities, criminals have resorted to utilizing different tactics, such as using small airfields in rural areas or costal borders. In light of this, how can border authorities step up to counter combat this phenomenon?

The challenges for small ports and airfields

Smugglers and criminals have evolved their modus operandi in recent years. Air traffickers have been targeting sites where regular border control is absent, such as regional airlines and airports in rural areas, private aerodromes, and fields. Similarly, beaches and alcoves on coastal borders are becoming the preferred conduits for small boats. 

For small boat smuggling, the criminals manage the flow of migrants by temporarily holding them away from the coastal areas where law enforcement is monitoring activity. Minimal time is allowed between crossings to prevent the temporary camps from being detected and the operation being thwarted. The departure points chosen are outside the current law enforcement radar. 

These activities present a unique challenge for law enforcement and regulatory bodies. Less regulations and security are required to land at smaller airports where light aircraft are permitted. This is also the case in some coastal areas, where authorities are unable to constantly monitor remote landing spots for small boats. 

Compared to commercial transport, both small boats and light aircraft offer a high degree of flexibility. This allows for quick route and destination changes if they are alerted to possible law enforcement interception or other obstacles. 

Another element to consider is their size. The relatively small size of these vehicles renders them more difficult to detect using standard surveillance, particularly when they are traveling through more remote areas. 

The current scale of the migrant smuggling problem

Migrant smuggling has been a constant feature of world news headlines. Since 2018, it is estimated that more than 100,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel illegally in small boats. Recently, two major incidents involved using smaller entry points to evade the strict security measures at major ports and airfields.

• United Kingdom

An EU law enforcement investigation led to the dismantling of a major crime network. 39 individuals smuggling migrants across the English Channel in small boats were arrested after cross-border cooperation between five countries, supported by Europol and Eurojust.  

This network had regularly switched tactics to avoid detection. These tactics included using larger boats to minimize immediate suspicion, simultaneous launches, and night crossings. It is estimated that a possible 10,000 migrants have been smuggled into the UK via this network in the last 18 months, with a criminal turnover as high as EUR 15m.

• Albania

On the ground, the conviction of two Albanian nationals concluded an eight-year NCA investigation. The people smugglers, based in East London, are believed to have orchestrated at least nine migrant journeys in 2016 and 2017.  

NCA officers finally stopped the operation in 2017, working in conjunction with colleagues in France and Belgium. The group had been using a minor airfield to transport migrants from Calais on three occasions, which was eventually intercepted by French police. Operation Micropus resulted in a total of 27 arrests, 11 UK convictions and 9 overseas convictions.

• Iraqi Kurdistan

Several coastal embarkation points in northern France have been under control of Iraqi Kurd smugglers since 2019. Less media attention has been focused on this group, who operate in the region from Calais to Dunkirk. Despite their dominance in this territory, they are known to cooperate with Albanian and Vietnamese smugglers when migrant demand outstrips their capacity, and also operate in other countries as a migrant service.  

This group’s geography makes them well-placed to take advantage of overland migrant routes. Until the outbreak of war in Ukraine, they met potential migrants from Africa and the Middle East in Minsk, Belarus, before transporting them to northern France. 

How to prevent people smuggling and criminal gangs 

There is a need to think and act proactively. Joint efforts between law enforcement agencies are critical to combating the flow of small boats and aircraft. Establishing secure and legal pathways for these two migrant groups could greatly diminish the potential clientele for predatory smuggling networks, which rely on a broad market to sustain their business model. The greatest successes have been a result of cooperation between countries and their respective authorities. This can be significantly improved with appropriate technology and improved training for border staff. 

As an area with limited funding, law enforcement agencies must strive for highly effective patrol measures and focus their recruitment efforts on hiring individuals who are personally invested in achieving the goal of reducing drug and people trafficking.  

Sharing best practices and learning from previous operations can greatly improve how law enforcement agencies face up to, and hopefully eliminate, this criminal activity in the future. 

Learn more about our border management solutions here.