UN agency estimates 2025 Europe sea-smuggling revenue at up to $509m
OCCRP reports that 3,404 people died or went missing on four sea routes to Europe in 2025, while another 104,200 were intercepted at sea and returned.
Loading… Բեռնվում է…
OCCRP reports that 3,404 people died or went missing on four sea routes to Europe in 2025, while another 104,200 were intercepted at sea and returned.
Smugglers earned an estimated $388 million–$509 million moving 190,000–209,000 people along four major sea routes to Europe in 2025, according to UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) research reported by OCCRP on October 22.
The estimates cover all smuggling attempts, including journeys that ended in interception or tragedy. They are not a count of people who successfully reached Europe.
UNODC estimated that criminal networks facilitated 57%–90% of departures across the four Mediterranean and Atlantic routes. The Central Mediterranean had the largest estimated number of people smuggled, according to the figures reported by OCCRP.
| Route | Estimated people smuggled |
|---|---|
| Central Mediterranean | Up to 100,400 |
| Eastern Mediterranean | Up to 51,300 |
| Northwest African Atlantic | 33,000 |
| Western Mediterranean | 24,500 |
Across the routes, 3,404 people died or went missing in 2025, OCCRP reported. Another 104,200 were intercepted at sea and returned.
The first National Security Strategy in two decades commits to deeper European cooperation as Canada and the European Union discuss closer ties.
2 min
Ukraine’s ombudsman plans food and medical aid for about 2,000 people in the Russian-occupied city on October 30, with mine clearance still under way.
3 min
The change applies across pension schemes from 28 October 2026. Where the member died before 75 and had enough remaining allowance, delays beyond two years no longer make lump sums taxable.
4 min