Understanding the threat posed by human trafficking to the region, the SECI Center engaged a lot of its resources in establishing in the year 2000 a specialized Task Force on human trafficking. Throughout the time, this Task Force has acquired remarkable successes and extended its cooperation network.
Regional Action Plans were developed in 2002, 2003 and 2004 to implement Operation Mirage. During these operations, which were intended to be the vastest operations ever executed in the region, the police forces were planned to act as a single body, implementing raids and controls in public places (night bars, hotels, discos) in all the participating countries.
Starting with 2004, the SECI Center has shifted its action and started to lead the region into the next phase of cooperation by decisions based on strategic analysis and by coordinating joint investigations. Based on the member countries’ needs, a new concept of operation was introduced in 2004, to address also the urgent issue of illegal migration and human smuggling organizations.
The SECI Center approach to the illegal migration issue in the region is that of an expert service provider. Thinking regionally and developing strategic knowledge about the common threat is followed by action according to the member countries’ needs, by offering a friendly cooperation environment in order to share information and organize common investigations, operations and trainings.
Migrant smuggling involves the facilitation of illegal migration for profit, normally of individuals who have sought help to migrate. Human trafficking involves the facilitation of illegal migrants, including those who have been coerced or lured, with the purpose of exploiting them as prostitutes or cheap labor, often forced or tied. All the indications are that the scale of migrant smuggling far exceeds that of human trafficking.
Operation Mirage
