BY PAUL O’DONOGHUE, Senior Correspondent
Migrant smuggling along the infamous Central Mediterranean route generated between $290 million and $370 million in 2023, according to the UN.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said the number of people smuggled on this route increased sharply last year, with over 254,000 departures from North Africa – 79% more than in 2022.