'How much?' Why bribes to people smugglers could revive a dying trade

Special report: Australia has been accused of paying a boat crew to turn back a vessel laden with asylum seekers. Near the struggling fishing port where the boat reportedly began its journey, the prospect of easy money is enticing

 Fishermen in Pelabuhan Ratu. A boat carrying 65 asylum seekers is believed to have set off from the port before being turned around, allegedly after payments by Australian officials. Photographs: Beh Lih Yi for the Guardian

Beh Lih Yi in Pelabuhan Ratu, Indonesia-Thursday 25 June 2015

Business has been bad for Gandi, a fisherman who rides the waves off Indonesia’s rugged southern Java coast.

The 44-year-old’s meagre catches are sometimes too small to cover the cost of the fuel he needs to power his 7.5-metre blue and white wooden boat.

'How Much ' Why Bribes to People Smugglers Could Revive a Dying Trade by Thavam Ratna