contraband
/ˈkɒntrəband
/noun [mass noun]
1Goods that have been imported or exported illegally: customs men had searched the carriages for contraband...
- It means that if a policeman tries to use illegally obtained contraband as evidence to charge a suspect, the court will readily strike down such illicit evidence.
- On the contrary, the moment a book becomes illegal contraband it is suddenly all the more desirable.
- With legal imports in 1998 of $15 billion, contraband accounted for 25 percent of all imports.
1.1Trade in smuggled goods: the salt trade (and contraband in it) were very active in the town...
- It survived on contraband and piracy, trading cattle, hides, sugar, tobacco, and foodstuffs directly with other nations.
- With caves, coves and beaches round the island, there was many a hiding place for smugglers, and contraband was a way of life on Portland - with even the man employed by the government to put a stop to the practice deeply involved.
- But like drugs, and alcohol during Prohibition, black-market contraband always provides a means to acquire whatever is the forbidden fruit of the moment.
Synonyms
smuggling, illegal traffic, black marketeering, trafficking, bootlegging;
the black market
1.2 (also contraband of war) Goods forbidden to be supplied by neutrals to those engaged in war.Lincoln also was the first Commander-in-Chief to declare medicines contraband of war....
- International law has not precisely defined all classes of goods that are contraband of war per se.
- Neutral goods, with the exception of contraband of war, are not liable to capture under enemy's flag.
adjective
1Imported or exported illegally, either in defiance of a total ban or without payment of duty: contraband brandy...
- He has been charged with attempting to smuggle contraband drugs.
- Many contraband items such as drugs are smuggled in without being declared even though it is common knowledge that the drugs trade exists.
- This lust for profit means they will trade in anything that makes money: drugs, contraband goods, even illegal immigrants.
Synonyms
smuggled, black-market, bootleg, bootlegged, under the counter, illegal, illicit, unlawful;
prohibited, banned, proscribed, forbidden, interdicted
informal hot
1.1Relating to traffic in illegal goods: the contraband market...
- We will take the fight to all those involved in piracy and contraband trafficking.
- Other government figures said the dispatch of soldiers to the border was to curb contraband traffic in the region.
- The intent, apparently, was to patrol an area that was known for contraband trafficking, but it was an undocumented mission.
Derivatives
contrabandist
/ noun ...- He suggested that they be sent back to Africa, an idea which the contrabandists fiercely rejected.
- Meanwhile, the military government looked the other way as the merchants and contrabandists made thousands.
- In this case inevitably our small country becomes a base for drug smugglers, arms contrabandists and terrorists of all stripes.
Origin
Late 16th century: from Spanish contrabanda, from Italian contrabando, from contra- 'against' + bando 'proclamation, ban'.
This is from Spanish contrabanda ‘smuggling’, adopted from Italian contrabando ‘unlawful dealing’, from contra- ‘against’ and bando ‘proclamation, ban’.