“This study attempted to uncover the basic inner workings of Chinese human smuggling organizations and their operations. Through field observations and face-to-face interviews in both the U.S. and China, we found that most human smugglers (also known as snakeheads) were otherwise ordinary citizens whose social networks provided the necessary connections and resources that led to a profitable trade in shipping human cargoes around the world. These individuals came from diverse backgrounds and formed temporary business alliances. Their organizations can be best described as ad hoc task forces. We did not find any godfather type of snakeheads who dominated an entire group of smugglers or command a group of subordinates; but we did find that most smuggling activities were highly specialized and controlled by individuals who would only deal with one another through one-on-one contacts. Policy implications and limitations of the study design are also discussed. This report is intended for law enforcement officials and policy makers who deal with migration and transnational human smuggling issues.” – Publisher’s description
