Convergence Between Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking of Goods: Text Analysis of Open-Source Data

Abstract

There is debate about the convergence of migrant smuggling and transnational trafficking of goods, the threat it poses to society, and its evolution in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, empirical evidence is limited. We tested for convergence using a methodology based on natural language processing. Results show that convergence occurs, but it is rare and episodic. Exploratory results suggest that COVID-19 containment policies had no impact on the simultaneous occurrence of migrant smuggling and transnational trafficking of goods. These findings expand our understanding of migrant smuggling and provide suggestions for policymakers to combat transnational crimes.