smokkel

Smokkel is a term found in Dutch-language sources that denotes the act of smuggling. In standard Dutch, the common verb is smokkelen, and the noun form typically used is smokkelen or smuggling; smokkel appears primarily in dialectal, historical, or literary contexts as a noun describing illicit transport or its products. The exact origin of smokkel is not clearly established, but it is generally regarded as a regional or older variant linked to the broader practice of smuggling.

Historically, smokkel has been associated with borderlands and areas where enforcement was irregular or porous. Across such regions, people carried or concealed goods across frontiers outside official channels, often involving items like tobacco, spirits, textiles, or spices. Smuggling networks could range from small, informal exchanges to more organized operations, depending on economic conditions and policing.

In contemporary Dutch usage, smokkel is uncommon outside dialectal speech or historical writing. It may occasionally appear as a surname or, in rare cases, as a place name in obscure local contexts, but these uses are incidental. When present in modern texts, smokkel usually serves to evoke historical or regional flavour rather than to function as a standard, widely recognized term.

See also: Smokkelen, Smuggling, Border history, Illicit trade.