People smugglers made $5 billion from Europe migration last year - agencies

A rescue boat (L) shines a light on a dinghy carrying refugees and migrants as it approaches the shore near the city of Mytilene on the Greek island of Lesbos, March 20, 2016. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis

GENEVA (Reuters) - People smugglers made over $5 billion (3.45 billion pound) from the wave of migration into southern Europe last year, a report by international crime-fighting agencies Interpol and Europol said on Tuesday.

Nine out of 10 migrants and refugees entering the European Union in 2015 relied on "facilitation services", mainly loose networks of criminals along the routes, and the proportion was likely to be even higher this year, the report said.