13th "Mirage" Task Force Evaluation Meeting
The 13th "Mirage" Task Force Evaluation Meeting was held today at the SECI Regional Center’s headquarters.
As previously agreed by the participating countries, a regional report on human trafficking and migrant smuggling was developed by the SECI Center, in order to support international efforts to tackle cross-border criminal networks engaged in human trafficking by coordinating and focusing the law enforcement resources of the region.
The report is based on the contributions of the SECI Member States and covers the period 1st of July – 31st of December, 2005 and focuses on the victims of human trafficking, traffickers, illegal migrants and smugglers, as well as routes and trends.
Law enforcement authorities - police, border police, customs and prosecutors - from the SECI member countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia, Turkey) took part in this Evaluation Meeting.
According to the data provided by the national authorities, Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania continued to be the origin countries for trafficking in human beings mainly to Turkey, Greece, and Western Europe. The entry illegal migratory pressure over the SECI region appears to increase via Moldova and Turkey.
During the analyzed period, one thousand ninety three (1,093) victims and 1,063 human traffickers were identified by the participating law enforcement agencies in the SECI region.
The Western European Countries were by far the main areas where nationals of Southeastern Europe were trafficked to outside region. Additionally, Moldova and Romania reported cases of human trafficking to the United Arab Emirates, and to the Russian Federation.
Greece reported a continuous increase of the number of victims originating from Nigeria. Turkey was the main country of exploitation of victims from Ukraine, Byelorussia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan.
Deception by promising jobs or marriage arrangements continued to be the main method of victim recruitment in origin countries, through direct personal approach by traffickers or newspaper advertisements. Bulgaria, Romania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia mentioned cases of volunteer enrollment and Albania reported four cases of recruitment by force (abduction). Greece mentioned a trend of increasing the number of traffickers being women (former victims becoming active traffickers).
A total of 167,894 illegal migrants were identified by all SECI countries during the second semester of the year 2005, which represents a 74% increase compared to the first semester. 2,046 migrant smugglers were identified by the countries, out of which 1.225 were charged.
National situation on trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling was presented by each Member Country as well, with a view of underlining the cases unfolded with the participation and support of the SECI Center.
The assessment was enhanced by the participation of representatives of Europol, International Organization for Migration, Stability Pact on Combating Organized Crime, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Poland, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (through the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration).
At the evaluation meeting, the members pledged to enhance cooperation in the future, to benefit at maximum from the facilities provided by the SECI Center, focusing on dismantling human trafficking and migrant smuggling networks.
In conclusion, it was decided to organize regional operations with the participation of the law enforcement and judicial authorities from the SECI Center Member Countries and, at the end of these operations, it is expected to conduct simultaneous arrests on the national territories.
Having in mind the forthcoming FIFA World Cup, scheduled to take place in Germany in the time frame 9 June – 9 July, the participants to the meeting decided to raise the level of vigilance and security checks at the border crossing points, so as to prevent attempts of trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling. Also they expressed the willingness for cooperation with the German authorities in providing assistance in the efficient organization of the event.
As previously agreed by the participating countries, a regional report on human trafficking and migrant smuggling was developed by the SECI Center, in order to support international efforts to tackle cross-border criminal networks engaged in human trafficking by coordinating and focusing the law enforcement resources of the region.
The report is based on the contributions of the SECI Member States and covers the period 1st of July – 31st of December, 2005 and focuses on the victims of human trafficking, traffickers, illegal migrants and smugglers, as well as routes and trends.
Law enforcement authorities - police, border police, customs and prosecutors - from the SECI member countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia, Turkey) took part in this Evaluation Meeting.
According to the data provided by the national authorities, Bulgaria, Moldova and Romania continued to be the origin countries for trafficking in human beings mainly to Turkey, Greece, and Western Europe. The entry illegal migratory pressure over the SECI region appears to increase via Moldova and Turkey.
During the analyzed period, one thousand ninety three (1,093) victims and 1,063 human traffickers were identified by the participating law enforcement agencies in the SECI region.
The Western European Countries were by far the main areas where nationals of Southeastern Europe were trafficked to outside region. Additionally, Moldova and Romania reported cases of human trafficking to the United Arab Emirates, and to the Russian Federation.
Greece reported a continuous increase of the number of victims originating from Nigeria. Turkey was the main country of exploitation of victims from Ukraine, Byelorussia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan.
Deception by promising jobs or marriage arrangements continued to be the main method of victim recruitment in origin countries, through direct personal approach by traffickers or newspaper advertisements. Bulgaria, Romania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia mentioned cases of volunteer enrollment and Albania reported four cases of recruitment by force (abduction). Greece mentioned a trend of increasing the number of traffickers being women (former victims becoming active traffickers).
A total of 167,894 illegal migrants were identified by all SECI countries during the second semester of the year 2005, which represents a 74% increase compared to the first semester. 2,046 migrant smugglers were identified by the countries, out of which 1.225 were charged.
National situation on trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling was presented by each Member Country as well, with a view of underlining the cases unfolded with the participation and support of the SECI Center.
The assessment was enhanced by the participation of representatives of Europol, International Organization for Migration, Stability Pact on Combating Organized Crime, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Poland, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (through the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration).
At the evaluation meeting, the members pledged to enhance cooperation in the future, to benefit at maximum from the facilities provided by the SECI Center, focusing on dismantling human trafficking and migrant smuggling networks.
In conclusion, it was decided to organize regional operations with the participation of the law enforcement and judicial authorities from the SECI Center Member Countries and, at the end of these operations, it is expected to conduct simultaneous arrests on the national territories.
Having in mind the forthcoming FIFA World Cup, scheduled to take place in Germany in the time frame 9 June – 9 July, the participants to the meeting decided to raise the level of vigilance and security checks at the border crossing points, so as to prevent attempts of trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling. Also they expressed the willingness for cooperation with the German authorities in providing assistance in the efficient organization of the event.
11 November 2008 - 12 November 2008
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