Action Knowledge Transfer on Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking by Air and Document Fraud ____ March 2019 Clara Alberola Chiara Janssen 1 This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union, contracted by ICMPD through the Mobility Partnership Facility. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the authors and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union and the one of ICMPD. Table of Contents List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................ 3 List of Figures .......................................................................................................................................... 4 List of abbreviations ................................................................................................................................ 5 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................. 6 Executive summary ................................................................................................................................. 7 Part 1: Presentation of the study ........................................................................................................... 10 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 10 2. Objectives and methodology ......................................................................................................... 12 2.1. Methodological approach ................................................................................................. 12 2.2. Methodological reflections ................................................................................................ 15 3. The EU perspective: irregular entries at EU air borders ................................................................ 16 3.1. Recent trends of smuggling by air detections at Schiphol airport ..................................... 16 3.2. Recent trends in smuggling by air at all EU air borders ..................................................... 17 3.3. The modi operandi of smuggling by air ............................................................................. 19 3.4. The role of document fraud .............................................................................................. 22 3.5. Combatting migrant smuggling by air and document fraud: the Dutch expertise ............ 25 ECID ....................................................................................................................................... 25 Dedicated Gate Control .................................................................................................................. 26 EU Police cooperation ..................................................................................................................... 26 Part 2: Background review and legislative mapping of selected partner countries ................................. 27 4.1. Morocco ..................................................................................................................................... 27 4.1.1. Migrant Smuggling in, through and from Morocco ....................................................... 28 4.1.2. Smuggling networks in Morocco ................................................................................... 30 4.1.3. Trafficking of migrants by air from Morocco to Europe ................................................ 31 4.1.4. Document fraud ............................................................................................................ 32 4.1.5. Policy, legislative and institutional frameworks............................................................. 33 4.2. Nigeria ........................................................................................................................................ 38 4.2.1. Migrant Smuggling ........................................................................................................ 39 4.2.2. Trafficking in human beings by air ................................................................................. 42 4.2.3. Document fraud ............................................................................................................ 44 4.2.4. The Role of corruption................................................................................................... 45 4.2.5. Policy and institutional frameworks .............................................................................. 46 4.3. India .............................................................................................................................................. 49 4.3.1. Overview of migrant smuggling in India ............................................................................ 49 4.3.2. Modus operandi of smugglers and characteristics of smuggling networks ....................... 52 2 4.3.3. Trafficking in human beings by air ..................................................................................... 53 4.3.4. Document fraud ................................................................................................................ 54 4.3.5. Policy and institutional frameworks .................................................................................. 54 Part 3: Fieldwork findings ....................................................................................................................... 60 5.1. Morocco ......................................................................................................................................... 60 5.1.1. Trends in smuggling and trafficking by air and document fraud ........................................... 60 5.1.2. Main challenges of air border management: preliminary needs assessment ....................... 64 5.2. Nigeria ............................................................................................................................................ 66 5.2.1. Trends in smuggling, trafficking by air and document fraud ............................................. 66 5.2.2. Main challenges of air border management: preliminary needs assessment ................... 69 5.2.3. Best practices .................................................................................................................... 71 5.3. India .............................................................................................................................................. 72 5.3.1. Trends in smuggling, trafficking by air and document fraud ......................................... 72 5.3.2. Main challenges of air border management: needs assessment .................................. 77 6. Conclusions ................................................................................................................................... 82 Part 4: Operational and policy recommendations .................................................................................. 83 Operational recommendations for partner countries ........................................................................... 83 Policy recommendations ....................................................................................................................... 86 Addressed at the European Union and EU Member States border security agencies .......................... 86 References ............................................................................................................................................. 88 Annex 1. Interview guides ................................................................................................................... 101 Annex 2. List of organizations and stakeholders interviewed ............................................................. 109 Annex 3. OSCE Overview of the use of Advanced Passenger Information (API) .................................. 113 List of Tables Table 1. Overview of partner country interviews .................................................................................. 14 Table 2. Irregular entries reported at EU air borders by selected airports of origin ............................. 18 Table 3. Irregular entries reported at selected airports of transit ......................................................... 18 Table 4. Main airports of embarkation ……………………………………………………………………………………………..19 Table 5. Price list of document fraud equipment .................................................................................. 25 Table 6. Morocco’s key legislation on human trafficking ...................................................................... 36 Table 7. Morocco’s key legislation on the smuggling of migrants ......................................................... 37 Table 8. Morocco’s key legislation on document fraud ......................................................................... 37 Table 9. Nigeria’s key law responses to trafficking in persons .............................................................. 46 Table 10. Key Nigerian legislation on the smuggling of migrants .......................................................... 47 3 Table 11. Key Nigerian legislation on document forgery and counterfeiting ........................................ 48 Table 12. Estimated costs of irregular migration from India to