The fantastic evolution of internet and the new means for international trade brings companies closer together and creates new and vast business opportunities.  At the same time it may give ground for new illegal cross border activities that the organized crime syndicates may take advantage of. Trafficking is one of the fastest growing crimes of this time. This report is written by the Swedish Trade Council and reflect the experience from a considerable number of Swedish SME:s.

Following Sweden’s entry into the Schengen scheme, small and medium-sized businesses in Sweden have become a target for international bogus companies on the hunt for much sought-after visas to the Schengen countries.

Foreign entities calling themselves companies search the internet and eMarket directories to retrieve names of SME:s that could be contacted for pretended offers for future trade. These bogus companies could be on the other side of the world and yet be felt like they are very much present and real due to internet efficiency. The beauty of the internet, cutting the distances has at the same time opened a new lucrative way to illegally cross borders for the purpose of getting into the black labour-market in developed countries.

With these false promises of business, the bogus company is given assistance in obtaining a visa for, in this case Schengen, but no business comes out of it – instead the Swedish company becomes an involuntary accomplice to the growing trade in human trafficking, in which visas are worth their weight in gold.