Unmasking People Smugglers' Sales Tactics through Undercover Operations

A people smuggler in Quetta, Pakistan, has revealed his business model and explained how he arranges illegal routes out of the country in an undercover interview with a BBC journalist. The smuggler, known as Azam, claims that for 2.5 million Pakistani rupees ($9,000), young men can reach Europe safely within three weeks by crossing the border into Iran on foot and then traveling through Turkey to Italy. Azam downplays the risks associated with this journey and assures the reporter that even if a migrant gets caught, they will only be sent back home without any harm. However, the reality is that many migrants attempting to travel via Libya can fall victim to militias and criminal gangs. One testimonial from a Pakistani man reveals that he was kidnapped and held captive in Libya for three months until his family paid a ransom. Smugglers like Azam operate openly on social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok, using coded language and private messaging to evade content moderation and law enforcement. These smugglers promote various routes, including boat crossings, known as "dunki," and road journeys referred to as "games." The UNHCR warns of the dangers migrants face on land routes, such as freezing temperatures in winter and road accidents. Several other smugglers interviewed also endorse land routes, with one claiming he could facilitate travel from France to the UK for £1,000 ($1,228). The BBC shared its evidence of social media platforms being used for illegal smuggling with Meta, the company that owns Facebook and WhatsApp, as well as TikTok. While Meta took down the flagged Facebook groups and pages, the associated profiles remained. WhatsApp groups were left untouched due to the platform's end-to-end encryption policy. TikTok, on the other hand, removed the links to the accounts reported by the BBC. The article concludes by highlighting the story of a Pakistani migrant named Saeed who regrets taking the illegal route to Europe and now refers to it as a "journey of death." Despite his regret, Saeed frequently shares TikTok videos depicting his new life in Italy. The BBC ultimately confronts Azam about the dangers associated with his smuggling operations, at which point he ends the call.