They pay over 7500 dollars per person. Many never reach their destination.

According to recent data from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Organization for Migration, human traffickers earned up to half a billion dollars on European maritime routes in 2025. Migrants often paid exorbitant fees, with nearly half spending over $7,500 each to reach Italy or Malta from North Africa or Turkey. Tragically, 3,404 individuals lost their lives or went missing during these attempts. The most dangerous route was through the northwestern Atlantic, where migrants traveled on open boats to the Canary Islands for a lower cost of $170 per person. In total, between 190,000 and 209,000 people were smuggled via four main maritime routes, with the central Mediterranean route being the busiest. The majority of migrants relied on smugglers, with 72% to 86% paying for illegal transport on the central Mediterranean route.