Smuggling of Migrants from India to Europe and in particular to the UK: A Study on Punjab & Haryana

1. Smuggling of Migrants from India to Europe and in particular to the UK: A Study on Punjab & Haryana K. C. Saha, IAS Development Commissioner, Government of Bihar 11 March 2010, Chandigarh

2. Case Study from Punjab/Haryana (Methodology) • Analysis of over 800 immigration-offence-related records for 2005, 2006 & 2007 • Police cases recorded against agents in different police stations in Punjab • Interviews with deportees and/or their family members • Interviews with agents as well as police officers who investigated these cases against the agents • Interviews with co-villagers/public representatives in more than 30 villages • Case studies on irregular migration through investigators • Study visit to the UK and France

3. FINDINGS: • Trends and volume of irregular migration • Identification of areas prone to irregular migration • Profile of irregular migrants, reasons for irregular migration and destination countries • Profile of agents, sub-agents and their modus operandi

4. 1. Trends and volume of irregular migration • Over 20,000 youths from Punjab attempt irregular migration every year. • It has not only spread to new areas in Punjab but also to the neighbouring states of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir • In the past, irregular migration was confined to few caste groups, now it has spread to other caste groups also • Almost half (47%) of the cases of irregular migration relate to destination countries in Europe

5. FINDINGS: • Trends and volume of irregular migration • Identification of areas prone to irregular migration • Profile of irregular migrants, reasons for irregular migration and destination countries • Profile of agents, sub-agents and their modus operandi

6. Map of Punjab Emerging High

7. Map of Haryana Emerging High

8. FINDINGS: • Trends and volume of irregular migration • Identification of areas prone to irregular migration • Profile of irregular migrants, reasons for irregular migration and destination countries • Profile of agents, sub-agents and their modus operandi

9. 3. Profile of irregular migrants 84% of irregular migrants are from rural areas Youths were mostly from agricultural families who can afford high cost of irregular migration More than 90% irregular migrants are males About 55% of irregular migrants are in the age group of 21-30 A substantial number of irregular migrants are also in the age group of 31-40 Irregular migrants are noted to have poor educational attainment

10. Reasons for irregular migration • High unemployment rate • General attitude of youth that migration to the other countries is the best alternative • Potential irregular migrants consider other successful migrants as their role models • Irregular migration not at all a stigma amongst families • Once a family is able to send someone abroad legally or illegally, family status increases • Social networks promote chain migration • Perception amongst migrants that once one is able to reach a destination country, chances of getting caught and deported is remote.

11. Destination countries • Destination countries are varied. Irregular migrants have attempted to go to 57 destination countries. • Belgium is also a destination country for irregular migrants, however, in Europe the UK is the most favoured destination • A substantial number of cases of irregular migration to Italy, France and Spain were noted.

12. FINDINGS: • Trends and volume of irregular migration • Identification of areas prone to irregular migration • Profile of irregular migrants, reasons for irregular migration and destination countries • Profile of agents, sub-agents and their modus operandi

13. 4. Profile of agents and sub-agents • Proliferation of agents in Punjab due to high demand of their services • Many of the agents in Punjab are actually sub-agents of principal agents based in cities in Punjab and also Delhi • A substantial number of agents were in the age group of 21-25. They are the new entrants in the business. • Agents in Punjab were found to work in groups with well established links with agents in Delhi • Carrier agents accompanied irregular migrants in many cases. Some of the carrier agents were females who accompanied minor children

14. Modus operandi of agents • Jacket substitution of passports, photo substitution, fake foreign visas, re-stitched passports, forged passports, forged residence permits, exchange of boarding cards in security areas, forging of POE stamp etc • Forged visas of 41 countries had been used. Many instances of forged visas for Italy, Greece, France, Spain and the UK were noted. • Many instances of forged residence permits of Portugal, Spain, Italy and the UK were noted. • Agents made use of various transit countries to take migrants legally to the transit countries before their irregular migration.

15. Modus operandi of agents (part 2) • Agents have used various routes some of which are traditional whereas the others are emerging routes • Routes via a country in Central Asia or a country in West and North Africa are emerging routes • Fees for USA and Canada was much higher than any country in Europe. It was more than US$ 50,000. For destination to the UK the fees were higher compared to the other countries in Europe. • Agents have become highly professional and they operate through well-knit networks. • Services of agents are utilized even by public representatives and other responsible citizens

16. Recommendations: • Independent legislation to check migrant smuggling • Specialized counter smuggling law enforcement units • Database on smuggling • Training and capacity building of law enforcement machinery • Awareness campaigns in identified areas • Regional focus on irregular migration from South Asia • Close cooperation between countries of source, transit and destination

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