Smugglers netted an estimated $388 million to $509 million from sea crossings to Europe in 2025, according to new research by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The agency estimated that between 190,000 and 209,000 people were smuggled along four major Mediterranean and Atlantic routes, with criminal networks facilitating between 57 percent and 90 percent of departures. Fees varied widely depending on the journey, ranging from $170 for crossing to Spain’s Canary Islands to more than $7,500 for routes toward Italy and Malta, according to the International Organization for Migration. The Central Mediterranean was the busiest route, with up to 100,400 people smuggled, followed by the Eastern Mediterranean with up to 51,300, the Northwest African Atlantic route with 33,000, and the Western Mediterranean with 24,500. These estimates, according to UNODC, reflect all smuggling attempts, including journeys that ended in interception or tragedy. The routes remained deadly: 3,404 people died or went missing in 2025, while another 104,200 were intercepted at sea and returned.