Malta in contemporary human smuggling

Abstract

The fact that I have a military background (Officer within the Armed Forces of Malta) and have been working for the last eight years in the Maritime Environment, saving and escorting thousands of migrants at sea within the Maltese Search and Rescue Zone, has motivated my interest in the subject and in the notions of criminality that underpin this phenomenon. Having had a prima facie experience at sea, together with specialised counter migration training in Virginia, USA and Mitillini, Greece, enables me to view and understand migrants from a different perspective to that of the general public or Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), who normally encounter migrants on land when they are safe. Therefore, in view of the migratory flow that Malta has been and is experiencing, the dissertation will establish why Malta, being an overpopulated island with limited resources and opportunities, may be still considered as an 'attractive' haven by some migrants. The dissertation will also take a descriptive approach to highlight and delineate the changing trends and types of boat/transport used for both inbound and outbound smuggling movements within the Maltese territorial seas. The study will also examine if Malta may be still considered as a 'dead-end road' by some migrant groups.