The article discusses the magnitude, scope, and causes of smuggling and trafficking in human beings. It also analyzes trafficking in human beings as an illegal market, its relationship with other illegal markets, and the involvement of organized crime groups. Discussion of the phenomenon focuses on countries and regions where projects are being implemented under the auspices of the United Nations Global Program Against Trafficking in Human Beings. The article includes an overview of situations which facilitate the practice, and measures and recommendations to curtail it. The smuggling and trafficking of human beings appears to be growing. It has been suggested that trafficking in human beings generates more profit than trafficking in drugs, because a person can be used, traded, and sold numerous times. If a trafficker in human beings is caught, penalties are low compared to trafficking in drugs. The push towards illegal migration is fueled in source countries by severe economic conditions, ethnic wars, and little future perspective. The problem is exacerbated by lack of awareness of the problem, insufficient or non-existent legislation, lack of or insufficient cooperation, and other factors in source, transit, and destination countries. The article concludes that it will be impossible to stem the tide of illegal migration until the root causes of the problem in source countries are permanently rectified. Notes, references