Smuggling Operations

People smuggling operations range from small to large-scale actors operating in a transnational market. Small-scale smugglers generally arrange all aspects of the smuggling operations themselves. However, more commonly, smugglers engage and do business within a larger smuggling network where there is a division of work among the actors involved.

In the past, smuggling rings tended to be more obscure, amateurish, and limited. Nowadays smuggling rings are far more extensive and organized. In Mexico the once small and informal smuggling business has evolved into a powerful web of hundreds of syndicates. It causes an opportunity for smuggling groups within Mexico to market their services to non-Mexicans. Indeed, smuggling operations are often complex and smuggled persons often make stops at countries across the globe before arriving at their final destination.

Over the years, smuggling has evolved into a sophisticated service industry, with certain routes and enclaves used by smugglers becoming traditional; for example: from Mexico and Central America to the United States, from West Asia through Greece and Turkey to Western Europe.

Reasons for the flourishing of people smuggling are a combination of interacting factors, from weak legislation and lax border controls to corrupt officials and the power of organized crime.

The complexity of the smuggling network is dependent upon the route to be taken and the nature of the journey. For routes that are well-known and tested, smugglers may function more as family enterprises and utilize fairly contained operations. The more complex the route, however, the more members of the smuggling network must be recruited. Smugglers form temporary business alliances. In the business of people smuggling, there is no single " godfather" figure who commands the activities of subordinates; rather, individuals conduct business on equal grounds and tend to consider themselves free agents.

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Wildlife Smuggling or trafficking involves the illegal gathering, transportation and distribution or animals, and their derivatives. This can be done either internationally or domestically. No one knows the true immensity of the trade of wildlife and wildlife products, but it is believed by Interpol experts, that wildlife smuggling transactions generate between 10-20 billion dollars annually. This means that wildlife smuggling is a close seconds to that of the trade of illicit drugs, in regards to revenue. The main motivations to engage in the illegal trade and smuggling of wildlife is economic gain. As long as there is continued demand for animals and animal parts there will always be opportunities for wildlife trafficking. Demand- For What? And Where?: Demand for wildlife and the products that are derived from them come in a variety of forms which consist of exotic pets, food, traditional medicine, clothing, jewellery made from tusks, fins, skins, shells, horns and the internal organs of animals. Smuggled wildlife is an increasing global demand around the world, it is estimated that the United States of America, the Peoples Republic of China, and the European Union are the countries with highest demand for smuggled wildlife. The demand in these countries are influenced by different lifestyles, cultures and regions. In Asia the demand for wildlife smuggling comes from the need of specific organs and body parts of animals, that are used in the practice of traditional medicine and as a symbol of wealth. In Africa the main demand for illegal wildlife comes from “bushmeat” consumption. There is an increase in demand in Southeast Asia and this is due to the region’s economic boom. In other continents like Europe and North America, the demand for wildlife smuggling is used to create luxury fashion items, tourist souvenirs, and exotic pets.

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