A rapidly evolving criminal ecosystem: the escalating exploitation of vulnerable individuals

Migrant smugglers and human traffickers are exploiting today’s geopolitical instability and economic pressures with unprecedented agility. Their business models continue to evolve at high speed, allowing criminals to recruit, transport and exploit vulnerable individuals while maximising profits. As a result, the EU faces a constantly shifting and increasingly digital criminal landscape. Both crime areas have undergone significant transformation in recent years, fuelled in particular by the rapid expansion of online tools for recruitment, advertising and exploitation. These and other latest trends are outlined in the 2025 Europol’s European Migrant Smuggling Centre yearly activity overview, published today.NewsRead More