Smuggling dynamics en route to and within Türkiye

Insights from Afghans, Syrians & Pakistanis on their journeys

This report explores the dynamics of smuggling to and within Türkiye, comparing the migration experiences of individuals from Afghanistan, Syria, and Pakistan. It focuses specifically on smuggler-facilitated journeys to Türkiye, drawing insights from those who were surveyed after arrival.

The research is based on 2,127 interviews conducted between 2022 and 2024 with migrants and refugees in Türkiye who reported using smugglers at some point along their route. Afghans made up the largest share of this sample (70%), followed by Syrians (25%) and Pakistanis (5%). This sample is drawn from a broader group of 2,837 respondents surveyed in Türkiye over the same period. While the findings offer valuable insights, they are not representative of all migrants in Türkiye and should be understood as indicative of the experiences of those reached through purposive and snowball sampling methods.

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