The report says more restrictive policies against asylum seekers will do little to end the booming trafficking business. It says tighter polices actually risk ending the right of asylum in Europe.

The author of the report is John Morrison, a British expert on asylum policy. He says it is very difficult for refugees to enter Europe legally, therefore they are forced to use illegal means.

"There's no legal way of getting here. And if you must use illegal means, that is becoming ever more dangerous and difficult to do so. So refugees are being forced into the arms of these (illegal) organizations and syndicates," says Morrison.

The study notes Afghanistan, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Somalia and Yugoslavia are among the top 10 countries from which most people are smuggled. It says people from these same countries are usually recognized as genuine refugees under Europe's asylum procedure.

The study urges European countries to rethink their asylum policies. It says border guards and airline liaison officers should check whether people without visas or passports have a legitimate claim to asylum, before sending them back to countries where they might suffer abuse.