Survive and advance: The economics of smuggling refugees and migrants into Europe

This introductory text for a research paper describes how violent conflict, poverty, and repression drive migrants toward Europe, facilitated by a profitable and violent transnational smuggling industry. It emphasizes that effective policy responses must account for the specific demographics of migrants and the adaptability of smuggling networks.

• An unprecedented number of refugees and migrants have moved toward Europe driven by factors including chronic poverty, inequality, terrorism, violent conflicts, and long-standing repressive regimes. These individuals are assisted by a smuggling industry characterized as increasingly opportunistic and violent.
• The smuggling industry has generated sustainable profits, enabling the creation of transnational networks in areas where they were previously absent, which has negative consequences for state stability and human security.
• Effective responses to the migration crisis require a nuanced understanding of its drivers and dynamics, specifically acknowledging how a migrant's country of origin, income level, and ethnicity, combined with a responsive smuggling industry, define each journey.

APA

Reitano, T., & Tinti, P. (n.d.). Survive and advance: The economics of smuggling refugees and migrants into Europe. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/research/papers/survive-and-advance-the-economics-of-smuggling-refugees-and-migrants-into-europe

Chicago

Reitano, Tuesday, and Peter Tinti. Survive and advance: The economics of smuggling refugees and migrants into Europe. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/research/papers/survive-and-advance-the-economics-of-smuggling-refugees-and-migrants-into-europe.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Reitano |first1=Tuesday |last2=Tinti |first2=Peter |title=Survive and advance: The economics of smuggling refugees and migrants into Europe |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/research/papers/survive-and-advance-the-economics-of-smuggling-refugees-and-migrants-into-europe |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{reitanondsurvive, author = {Reitano, Tuesday and Tinti, Peter}, title = {{Survive and advance: The economics of smuggling refugees and migrants into Europe}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/papers/survive-and-advance-the-economics-of-smuggling-refugees-and-migrants-into-europe}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }