Smuggling as a Threat to National and International Security: Slovenia and the Balkan Route

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Abstract:

The general aim of this book is to analyze the threat of smuggling in general and in the particular context of the Republic of Slovenia, as well as the countermeasures that Slovenia is taking. Its primary focus is on the three most prevalent and dangerous types of smuggling: the smuggling of people, drugs, and weapons. Specifically, it provides analysis of the international and Slovenian understanding of the term smuggling; the Balkan smuggling route; national statistics on smuggling people, drugs and weapons to or through Slovenia; the organization of groups responsible for smuggling people, drugs, and weapons to or through Slovenia (the organization of smugglers, division of labor, methods of concealment, ways of crossing the border, means of communication, indices and indicators of smuggling, frequency of smuggling for particular groups, prices and methods of payment, motivation and profile of smugglers, etc.); and the Slovenian response to the threat of smuggling, with a focus on key police and customs measures.