Smuggling

Running contraband

Nature

Smuggling is the clandestine movement of commodities or persons across borders including: false identification of products, their contents, their country of origin or other information. Its objectives may be financial (to avoid duties or import or export restrictions); criminal; political; or humane. In other words, it's the unlawful introduction or removal into or from a country or place of any merchandise or person.

Incidence

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, global smuggling operations generate hundreds of billions of dollars annually, with routes spanning every continent. In 2022, Europol reported a significant increase in smuggling activities across the European Union, particularly involving illicit goods such as cigarettes, alcohol, and endangered wildlife. Major smuggling corridors include Southeast Asia, the Balkans, and the U.S.-Mexico border, where authorities regularly intercept large shipments.
In July 2019, UK authorities discovered 39 Vietnamese migrants dead in a refrigerated lorry container in Essex, England. The victims had been smuggled into the country, highlighting the deadly risks associated with human smuggling networks.

Claim

Smuggling is a critical global issue that undermines economies, fuels crime, and endangers lives. It facilitates the trafficking of drugs, weapons, and humans, perpetuating violence and exploitation. Moreover, smuggling evades taxes, harming legitimate businesses and governments. The environmental impact of smuggling endangered species and illegal goods further exacerbates the crisis. We must prioritize combating smuggling through international cooperation and stringent enforcement to protect our societies, economies, and the planet for future generations.

Counter-claim

Smuggling is a serious global problem faced by many industries including alcohol, electronic goods, cars and tobacco. It is caused by high tax levels, different levels of tax on two sides of a border and the imposition of national trade barriers to legal imports.