(July 8, 2016) - Considering the big numbers arriving in Norway last year, the Norwegian Intelligence Service (NIS) has focused its attention on the smuggling of child asylum-seekers into Norway and shared its findings with the Europol that now considers illegal immigration as one of nine areas of high priority.
Based on the different travel patterns, Norwegian Intelligence Service (NIS) identified three main categories of how asylum seekers make it to Norway as their final destination of choice.
The smallest group: they get a travel package from their country to Norway
This group is the smallest because this method is the most expensive. A trip from Kabul to Germany could cost up to $22,000. Refugees who can afford to have documents and go this route are guaranteed a safe arrival to their destination, but costs vary and are increasing due to the heightened border controls.
The largest group: those who get to Norway from Europe on their own
This group is smuggled into Schengen areas through smugglers they find on social network pages like Facebook. Once in Europe, they try to continue their journey to Norway on their own. Norwegian Intelligence Service (NIS) report pointed out that, “aid organizations and others who help refugees often putting unaccompanied minors together with adults. Then they are carried onward with the flow in a natural way.”
The medium-sized group: Those that are smuggled in stages
This group takes the longest to reach its destination because they are forced to cross several countries before they reach a Schengen area. Once in Europe, they identify “hotspots” in large European cities like the train station in Berlin from where they are picked up by smugglers, family members, or acquaintances. Norwegian Intelligence Service (NIS) reported that it is common for people in this category to work along the way in order to pay off their debts to their smugglers. At times, they are assigned a group of migrants to take along with them on their journey, thereby turning into human smugglers themselves.
The actual means of transportation varies; some children reported traveling across the Mediterranean on inflatable boats while others spoke of their nights in Balkan forests or small containers. According to a report by Norwegian Intelligence Service (NIS) last week, most asylum seekers come via Sweden, and despite the tight border controls, the bus and train are the most common means of transportation.
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