By: Abdulmalik Abdulwahab
In the historical era shrouded in darkness, predating the enlightenment of secret knowledge, smuggling was a prevalent practice dating back to the 13th century. In 1275 England, medieval smuggling primarily revolved around evading high taxes on exports like wool and hides. Merchants, seeking to bypass trade restrictions, engaged in smuggling various goods, including grain, prohibited from export to prevent potential food shortages and civil unrest.
Smuggling, the illicit transportation of objects, substances, information, or people across borders or into restricted areas, has a controversial history tied to the imposition of duties and attempts to prohibit certain traffics. While often associated with preventing contraband imports, smuggling also involves illegal exportation of goods. Scholars, like those at the University of Bristol, delve into commercial records to reconstruct the activities of smugglers who evaded authorities.
The realm of smuggling encompasses various activities, including human trafficking, goods smuggling, people smuggling, and economic smuggling. Goods smuggling involves supplying demand for illegal or heavily taxed goods, ranging from drugs and weapons to historical staples like alcohol and tobacco. Human trafficking, distinct from people smuggling, involves coercion and victimization, with victims often tricked or forced into illegal activities.
People smuggling, offering a service for those seeking illegal migration, differs from the involuntary trafficking of people. Methods employed by smugglers include concealment of goods on a person, in luggage, or within transportation vehicles. Border avoidance tactics involve small ships, private airplanes, overland routes, smuggling tunnels, and even small submersibles, with the go-fast boat being a preferred vessel in certain regions.
Despite the common perception of smuggling as synonymous with illegal trade, the two have distinct objectives and analytical frameworks. Smuggling is defined as international trade through an unauthorized route, such as unapproved seaports, airports, or land ports. The Customs Act of a country outlines legal definitions, including any ‘undeclared’ trafficking of currency and precious metals as smuggling, making it a punishable offense for both smugglers and the transported goods.