Synonyms of smugglers

smugglers

noun

plural of smuggler

as in runners

a person who imports or exports goods secretly and illegally

during Prohibition, smugglers of alcohol did a brisk business

Synonyms & Similar Words

• runners
• couriers
• bootleggers
• mules
• coyotes
• contrabandists
• gunrunners

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of smugglers

Often, smugglers are only engaged in the industry out of financial necessity or coercion. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2026

One roofer paid smugglers $15,000, was deported or left three times, and paid $5,000 each return. — Wcco Staff, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026

Walker says another goal is getting confiscated turtles back to the wild, but as Kung notes, smugglers commingle different turtles, spreading diseases that must be kept out of wild populations. — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026

Such go-fast boats were designed for offshore racing but were later commandeered by drug smugglers in South Florida during the 1980s. — Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026

All the passengers were migrants who paid smugglers to take them from the Bahamas to South Florida, Homeland Security Investigations agents said. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026

Still, despite the typical procedural formula with cases tied to gun smugglers, cartel assassins and kidnappings, the show remains topical enough to keep viewers engaged. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026

Florida has a colorful history as a haven for smugglers and scammers. — Mike Ryan, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026

That’s a daunting task for smaller institutions like university research labs or think tanks that lack the resources to track down seed smugglers and prove their case. — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026