migrants in Europe

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said on Wednesday that smugglers reaped huge profit in their operations in 2015.

IOM Chief, William Swing, said in Berlin that the smugglers made the profit, at the expense of more than 1 million refugees and migrants that came to the EU this year.

“People smuggling operations accounted for the majority of journeys and earned at least one billion dollars.

“Anywhere from 2,000 dollars to maybe 6,000 dollars depending on how many members of the family and depending on which smuggling ring it is,” he said.

He said not less than 3,700 died or went missing in the perilous journey.

“This is three to four times as many migrants and refugees coming north as we had in 2014, and the deaths have already far surpassed the deaths in 2014.

Swing said IOM estimated that people smugglers in Europe have made 10 billion dollars or more since 2000, maybe much more.

“They are certainly getting very well paid for their services.

“Out of a total of 1,005,504 arrivals to Greece, Bulgaria, Italy, Spain, Malta and Cyprus by Dec. 21, the vast majority of 816,752, arrived by sea in Greece,’’ he said.

IOM Spokesman, Joel Millman, disclosed that it was impossible to forecast how the flow of migrants would evolve in 2016.

He so much was in the balance.

Millman said the resolution of the Syrian war, and the dispositions of the European border protection moves are being contemplated.

He said almost all those arriving came across the Mediterranean or the Aegean Seas, and half were Syrians fleeing the war.

The spokesperson said another 20 per cent were Afghans, and 7 percent were Iraqis. (Reuters/NAN)