smuggling

Illegal import or export of prohibited goods or the evasion of customs duties on dutiable goods. Smuggling has a long tradition in most border and coastal regions; goods smuggled commonly include tobacco, spirits, diamonds, gold, and illegal drugs.

Restrictions on imports, originally a means of preventing debasement of coinage (for example, in 14th-century England), were later used for raising revenue, mainly on luxury goods, and led to a flourishing period of smuggling during the 18th century in such goods as wine, brandy, tea, tobacco, and lace.

The smuggling of illegal substances such as cocaine and marijuana into the US from Mexico and various South American countries is a serious problem today.

Smuggling of radioactive material, including weapons-grade plutonium and uranium, from countries of the former Soviet Union to Europe emerged as a serious problem in the early 1990s; cases of smuggling nuclear material increased from 41 in 1991 to about 500 in 1994. The rate of incidents had doubled by 2000. In the first three months of 2001 alone, there were 20 confirmed incidents of the smuggling of radioactive material, including thefts from Germany, Mexico, Romania, and South Africa.