Human smuggling networks earned up to $509 million in 2025

Reports from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Organization for Migration reveal that human smuggling networks earned between $388 million and $509 million through maritime routes to Europe in 2025. Approximately 209,000 people were targeted across major sea routes, with the Central Mediterranean route being the most active and expensive. On that route, nearly half of the migrants paid more than $7,500 each to reach areas near southern Italy.

Other routes, such as those toward the coasts of Spain and France, saw costs ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. While Atlantic routes from Northwest Africa are cheaper, they are considered extremely dangerous. The data shows that over 3,400 people died or went missing at sea, while 104,000 individuals were intercepted and returned to their countries of origin.

Smuggling operations often involve exploitation, including extortion, kidnapping, and forced labor, particularly affecting women and individuals from West Africa. In regions like Libya, reports of torture and kidnapping are frequent. Additionally, smuggling networks in Latin America interact with armed groups and drug traffickers, such as the ‘Clan del Golfo’ operating between Colombia and Panama.