Inklingo

How to Say "smuggling" in Spanish

English → Spanish

contrabando

cohn-trah-BAHN-doh/kontraˈβando/

nounB1general
Use 'contrabando' when referring to the illegal activity of transporting goods across borders without paying duties or taxes.
A shadowy figure in dark clothes is covertly pushing a large, unmarked wooden crate underneath a simple, barbed-wire border fence at twilight, illustrating the illegal activity of smuggling.

Examples

El contrabando de cigarrillos es un negocio muy lucrativo.

Cigarette smuggling is a very lucrative business.

La guardia costera lucha contra el contrabando en alta mar.

The coast guard fights against smuggling on the high seas.

Using the Noun

As a noun, 'contrabando' refers to the action itself, not the person doing it (who is a 'contrabandista').

traficante

trah-fee-KAHN-teh/tɾafiˈkante/

adjectiveC1specialized
Use 'traficante' as an adjective to describe a route or method specifically associated with illegal transport or smuggling operations.
A small, fast-moving, unmarked cargo truck drives along a winding dirt road that crosses a border fence, symbolizing a trafficking route.

Examples

Identificaron una ruta traficante usada para el contrabando.

They identified a trafficking route used for smuggling.

La actividad traficante ha crecido en la región.

Trafficking activity has grown in the region.

Adjective Placement

As an adjective, 'traficante' is usually placed before the noun it describes, especially in formal writing, when emphasizing the quality of being involved in trafficking (e.g., 'la red traficante').

Contrabando vs. Traficante

Learners often confuse 'contrabando' and 'traficante' because they are related to illegal transport. Remember that 'contrabando' is the noun for the illegal activity itself, while 'traficante' is an adjective describing something related to that activity, like a route.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.