British expert gives three reasons why Vietnamese people immigrate illegally
Daniel Silverstone, a PhD student in organised crime, believes Vietnamese people smuggled into the UK have community support and are lured by the prospect of making quick money.
"Every year, hundreds of Vietnamese people come to the UK after long stays in Germany or France," Dr Daniel Silverstone, an expert on smuggling and organised crime at the School of Justice Studies, Liverpool John Moores University, UK, toldVnExpressHe cited figures from the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA).
The information was given by the British doctor in the context of Vietnam and the UK coordinating to verify the identities of 39 people who died in a refrigerated container truck at the Waterglade industrial park in Essex, northeast of London on October 23.
 |
British police work at the scene of the incident. Photo:Huffington Post |
Silverstone believes there are three main reasons why many Vietnamese people find their way to the UK through illegal routes. Firstly, they have the opportunity to work in the "niche sectors" of the migrant community, mainly nail salons, restaurants and cannabis cultivation. Gradually they can earn money that "recoups" the costs of coming to the UK.
“They don’t necessarily have to grow cannabis, but can provide food/housing and other related services to growers,” Silverstone said.
Second, illegal Vietnamese immigrants receive support from the community living in the UK. Those from northern provinces of Vietnam such as Hai Phong and Quang Ninh can find acquaintances in the UK to help with accommodation and other issues. Recently, many new arrivals from Nghe An, Quang Binh and Ha Tinh have also found support.
Third, they are exaggerated by relatives and traffickers about how easy it is to get to the UK and how easy it is to make money.
However, "Vietnamese people are consistently among the most trafficked people," Silverstone said, citing NCA figures.
According to NCA statistics, in the second quarter of this year, more than 2,300 people were at risk of becoming modern slaves due to labor exploitation. This rate increased by 8% compared to the first quarter and increased by 40% compared to the same period in 2018. Vietnamese people ranked third among people exploited for labor, after the British and Albanians.
Silverstone said the illegal immigration situation has continued for more than 10 years because the police have not been able to control the human trafficking networks.
“Tackling human trafficking is not a policy priority because human trafficking crimes are not as dangerous as selling heroin or using weapons,” Silverstone said.
In addition, the number of human trafficking networks is large, so police need regular international coordination to be able to prevent them.
Making recommendations, Dr Silverstone said that Vietnamese authorities should promote safe migration strategies, so that people understand the dangers and risks of coming to the UK illegally.
On the British side, the government needs to work closely with the Vietnamese community to coordinate activities. Currently, there are only a few Vietnamese (representatives of the communities) in the independent advisory groups of the British police. Key members of the communities are mainly those who came to the UK after the war (1975). The UK needs to encourage Vietnamese people in areas with large populations such as Southwark and Hackney in London to cooperate with the government.
“You should reach out to people in the new community, from northern and central Vietnam,” Silverstone said.
