Traffick vs. Smuggle

[Rasooljafarinejad]

Hi

Can you tell me what the difference between "traffick" and "smuggle" is?

[Molly]

Can you tell me what the difference between "traffick" and "smuggle" is?

smuggle ▸ verb: import or export without paying customs duties ("She smuggled cigarettes across the border")

traffic ▸ noun: buying and selling; especially illicit trade. deal illegally ("Traffic drugs")

http://www.onelook.com/

[Skrej]

Hi Rasool,

Traffick is an older spelling of the modern day spelling of 'traffic'.

Traffic is not just a noun, it can be both a noun and a verb. As a verb it can mean 'to carry on trade or other dealings, to engage or deal in'.

It usually has a negative connotation, but doesn't necessarily have to be illegal. For example, it was once legal to traffic in slavery. Although it wasn't necessarily illegal or against the laws at one time, it still had a negative connotation.

'Smuggle' specifically has a sense of doing something illegal, i.e. bringing in something in or out of a country in direct violation of that country's laws.

Frequently, the two terms are used almost interchangeably, especially when speaking of the drug trade, although there is a slight difference between the two.
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[Molly]

[Rasooljafarinejad]

Thank you both