noun / verb
traffic
Illegal trading or transport of goods or people.
The investigation uncovers traffic in stolen goods.
Etymology
The source names commerce or trading. English developed a specialized use for illicit trade, including transporting prohibited goods or exploited people.
More examples
- The group trafficked in illegally obtained artifacts.
- They have trafficked weapons across the border.
- The report described efforts to stop human trafficking.
Forms
traffic · traffics · trafficked · trafficking