Special report: refugees in Britain Peter Beaumont in Sarajevo Sunday January 28, 2001 Politicians and police officers in Bosnia are enriching themselves from the massive smuggling of migrants into the European Union. Despite the presence of a 20,000-strong international military mission - including British troops - the illegal trafficking of migrants from the Arab world and Turkey through Bosnia is big business five years after Western intervention ended the civil war. The trade is estimated to be worth #100 million a year. The accusation of senior government involvement has been made by international officials operating in the capital, Sarajevo. It follows publication this month by the UN Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina of figures showing the Sarajevo route was taken last year by more than 10 per cent of the 500,000 illegal migrants who reached the West. Despite the funding by the international community of a new State Border Service, officials claim corruption is hampering international efforts to secure Bosnia's borders and close the route through Croatia into Europe. Officials familiar with the programme also claim it is underfunded by the international community. Up to a third of the cash generated by the trade in women for prostitution ends up with police and politicians, according to a source - a situation believed to be mirrored in the smuggling of migrants. The claims against Bosnia came as European Foreign Ministers met in Brussels last week to agree a plan to tackle trafficking through the Balkans. Growing concern about irregular migration into Europe led last week to the announcement by Spain that it plans to deport up to 60,000 illegal immigrants. The increase in the number of illegal migrants coming into the EU - from 40,000 in 1993 to an estimated 500,000 last year - has been matched by a rise in asylum claims which reached record levels in Britain last year. Although migrants arriving in Bosnia and intending to travel to the EU commit no crime until they cross the border into Croatia en route for Italy, Austria and Germany, traffickers who take up to $4,000 a time to guide them across the boundaries are breaking the law. The difficulties facing officers have been highlighted by the collapse of operations against people smugglers and gangs trafficking women for sex, after the traffickers were tipped off. 'We have strong indications of the direct involvement of police and senior political figures in this trade at the very highest levels,' said one official. Observer _______________________________________________ Crashlist website: http://website.lineone.net/~resource_base
