The New Zealand Herald has an article on the market in smuggling fighters from Syria into Iraq. From the NZ Herald: For years, he operated along Syria’s remote border providing young Arabs from as far away as Morocco and the Gulf with passports, guides and weapons as they slipped into Iraq to wage war. But recently, the Iraqi [...]

Although the issue of pirates are receiving most of the news coverage in Somalia, human smugglers are also prevalent in the area. From the New York Times Blog: Another set of unsavory characters also plies the Gulf’s azure waters. Human smugglers traffic thousands of people each year from war-torn Somalia to Yemen, about 100 miles across the [...]

The government of Mexico has announced that it will begin deporting Cuban citizens attempting to enter the United States through its country. From the LA Times: In a move likely to reduce the number of Cubans reaching U.S. soil, Mexico agreed Monday to deport Cubans smuggled into the country on their way to the United States. The agreement [...]

The Washington Post has a report on the impact of the newly constructed border fence between the United States and Mexico. From the Washington Post: For years, Mexican American families have flocked to this beachside park to see, touch, hear and feed loved ones through the modest openings of the fence. But the days of such reunions are [...]

Human Smugglers on the border are scamming families back in Mexico by placing fake ransom calls demanding money for the release of their relatives, even though the callers do not have the person in their captivity.  From the AFP (via Google News): Human smuggling gangs on the US-Mexico border are extorting thousands of dollars from families of [...]

Due to the struggling US economy and stepped up border enforcement, there are less illegal immigrants attempting to cross the border.  From the New York Times: A Border Patrol spokesman, Jason Cilberti, said there were significant decreases in the numbers of arrests along the nation’s southwest border, with apprehensions falling by 78 percent around Yuma, Ariz., and [...]

The son of US Congressman Allen Boyd (D-Florida) was arrested for smuggling illegal immigrants in the state of Arizona.  The immigrants each paid $3,000 to John Boyd to be smuggled into the United States.  From the Tampa Tribune: According to a criminal complaint outlining the accusations, John Boyd was driving his pickup Sunday near Wilcox, Ariz., when it [...]

An elevator mechanic at the Los Angeles Airport was recently arrested for assisting illegal immigrants bypass Custom checkpoints by using his airport security clearance.  From the LA Times: Officials said the improvements were made following the arrest of Roberto Amaya Canchola, 53, on Aug. 23 at LAX, where he has worked as an elevator mechanic for more [...]

According to author Moises Naim, the FBI estimates that “the Mexican people trade earns the networks $6 to $9 billion each year. Source: Moises Naim, Illicit: How Smugglers, Traffickers, and Copycats are hijacking the global economy, (New York: Doubleday, 2005), pg. 88.

According to author Moises Naim, ” human smuggling out of China alone has been estimated between $1 and $3 billion per year”. Source: Moises Naim, Illicit: How Smugglers, Traffickers, and Copycats are hijacking the global economy, (New York: Doubleday, 2005), pg. 88.