smuggler

noun

smug·​gler ˈsmə-glər 

plural smugglers

: one who smuggles something

The traffic in drugs—especially cocaine—to Florida by sea and air from South America has been generating wealth to rival that of the tourist trade and attracting a cadre of ingenious and ruthless smugglers from around the world.

—Jeremiah Tax

In nearby Nogales smugglers tunnel 6 ft. under the border and funnel people through.

—Terry McCarthy

Officials in Paraguay raided a wildlife smuggling operation in its capital city, Asunción, on March 25, recovering two critically endangered Brazilian parrots, which Paraguayan smugglers had hoped to sell in West Germany for $40,000.

—Focus

Synonyms

• runner
• courier
• bootlegger
• mule [slang]

Examples of smuggler in a Sentence

during Prohibition, smugglers of alcohol did a brisk business

Recent Examples on the Web

These migrants — some whole families, one teenager traveling alone, many young men, a mother with her three young children — had started their journey in Libya, paying smugglers thousands of dollars for this chance to reach Europe. —Ruth Sherlock, NPR, 8 Oct. 2025

Variety can exclusively reveal a glamorous first look at the upcoming thriller series (see above) starring Oscar winner Catherine Zeta-Jones as Jackie Price, an international drug smuggler turned art dealer who embarks on a journey for revenge. —Ellise Shafer, Variety, 7 Oct. 2025

The smugglers reportedly received £300 per iPhone. —PC Magazine, 7 Oct. 2025

Vilnius is located about 25 miles west of the Belarus border and smugglers from the country tend to use balloons to transport contraband into the European Union. —Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined above