Smuggling, act of bringing into or out of a country goods for which duty has not been paid; goods the importation or exportation of which is prohibited; or people who wish to cross a border illegally.
Smuggling is as old as restrictions on international trade and is practiced all over the world. The most frequent examples of smuggling involve individual travelers who fail to declare to customs officials merchandise on which an import duty is levied. However, the most serious instances of smuggling involve illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and in armaments. The latter trade is worldwide and involves everything from rifles to materials for the manufacture of nuclear and chemical weapons.
The illegal drug trade has often been focused on the United States, most seriously with so-called rum-running during Prohibition (1920-1933) and with the smuggling of marijuana, heroin, and cocaine beginning in the 1960s. Cocaine traffic increased dramatically in the 1980s. In the United States, the antismuggling laws are enforced by several federal agencies, including the United States Customs Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Coast Guard. If you of someone you know has been accused of smuggling drugs or other goods, you or that person need inmediate assistance. Call us or click here to find a qualified criminal defense attorney in your area.
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