OSCE Mission in Kosovo helps strengthen regional co-operation in fighting migrant smuggling
“One day, back in February 2013, we received information that a criminal group was smuggling migrants from Kosovo to the EU countries - Hungary as a transit country, and Austria as a final destination. Following an eight-month investigation, we arrested 13 suspects, six in Kosovo and the rest in Hungary and Austria”, Head of Kosovo Police Sector for Investigating Organized Crime Lieutenant Behar Balidemaj begins one of his stories.
“During this operation, sixty victims, who had reached the destination, were identified, and most of them were sent back,” said Balidemaj.
Migrant smuggling - a growing problem
The United Nations defines migrant smuggling as procurement, in order to obtain, directly or indirectly, a financial or other material benefit, of the illegal entry of a person into a State Party of which the person is not a national or a permanent resident.
Balidemaj says that there has always been movement of people. Kosovo was used as transit route for migrants but in recent years, there has been an increase of cases originating in Kosovo. “The victims of smuggling are mainly poor people searching for a better life in developed countries, and they often sell property or borrow money to pay the smugglers.”
“They risk their lives in an effort to work in European countries due to their difficult economic and social situations, but in this undertaking, it is only the criminal groups that win. Victims often travel in inhumane conditions, take the risk of crossing borders illegally, and are often deported back soon after they have reached their destination. And when they are back, they are in a worst situation than when they left and with lots of debts to pay back.”
2013 – Year of records
Senior Organized Crime Adviser at the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Vesna Vujović-Ristovska sees migrant smuggling as a growing problem, which affects lives of thousands of people and the economies of countries to which migrants are smuggled.
“In the Western Balkans, it reached a high in 2013, with 40,000 detections of illegal border crossings, a 27 per cent increase from 2012. At one point during May 2013, the border of Serbia-Hungary accounted for almost half of all illegal border crossings at the EU’s external border – a 43 per cent share,” she said.
She added that the victims of migrant smuggling are often tricked by smugglers, who tell them they reached the destination, but actually leave them somewhere else.
“Even in cases when they reach their destinations, they are treated as a low income labour force, because their ‘employers’ know their situation. Eventually, they will either be reported to the police or the police will find them,” said Vujović-Ristovska.
Co-operation is key in fighting migrant smuggling
Migrant smuggling affects the entire region and beyond and thus requires co-operation and a joint response from different law enforcement agencies.
In an effort to enhance this co-operation, the OSCE Mission and the Kosovo Police organized a three-stage activity with the representatives of the law enforcement agencies and Prosecutors’ Offices from Ankara, Podgorica, Prishtinë/Priština, Skopje, Sofia, and Tirana.
In early September 2014, they met to design a scenario for a joint exercise that involved tracking and dismantling a criminal network of migrant smugglers. Between 23 and 26 September 2014, they carried out the exercise, and on 20 November 2014, they met again for a debriefing meeting to evaluate the highlights and gaps identified during the exercise.
In line with the scenario of the exercise, two undercover Turkish Police officers disguised as migrants were being smuggled from Turkey to European Union through the Western Balkans by an organized crime group from Kosovo with ties in Turkey. The Kosovo Police received information about the smuggling operation, and informed the police in Turkey and all other law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction along the smuggling route to initiate a joint investigation. At the end of the exercise, four victims were identified and assisted, and 16 suspects arrested.
“Joint exercises help in better co-operation and co-ordination, building trust and mutual appreciation as well as better understanding of the legislation and the procedures in different countries,” said Vujović-Ristovska
Since 1999, the Mission has been supporting the Kosovo Police with specialized and advanced training, in addition to other activities on combating organized crime. In the last two years, the Mission has held 35 training activities for some 500 participants.
“Co-operation is key in fighting migrant smuggling,” said Balidemaj. “The network and the trust we build in joint exercises are of crucial importance if we are to succeed.”
“Illegal migration is dangerous and not the solution and people must be aware of that. Nobody is alone and we pledge to continue fighting this phenomenon,” Balidemaj concluded.