trafficking

trafficking — noun

1. the crime of buying, selling, or moving goods such as drugs, weapons, or protect

1.nounB2
Definition

the crime of buying, selling, or moving goods such as drugs, weapons, or protected animals in a way that is against the law

Example

Customs officers discovered a major drug trafficking operation at the port.

collocation: drug trafficking

The new international agreement aims to stop wildlife trafficking of endangered species.

collocation: wildlife trafficking

Common collocations
  • drug trafficking
  • arms trafficking
  • wildlife trafficking
  • trafficking in
  • trafficking ring
  • trafficking operation
Synonyms
  • smuggling

    focuses on moving goods across a border illegally; trafficking covers buying, selling, and moving within a single country too

  • illegal trade

    broader term that includes any prohibited commerce; trafficking implies organised criminal activity

Grammar Patterns

trafficking in + type of goods

modifier + trafficking

Usage Note

Often used with a preceding noun specifying the type of goods: 'drug trafficking', 'arms trafficking', 'wildlife trafficking'. The pattern 'trafficking in + goods' (e.g. 'trafficking in stolen artifacts') is also common in formal and legal writing. This sense is always uncountable — never 'a trafficking' or 'traffickings'.

Common Mistakes

He was arrested for drug traffic.
He was arrested for drug trafficking.
'Traffic' as a noun refers to vehicles on the road; the crime is always 'trafficking'.

2. the crime of taking or moving people by force or deception and then forcing them

2.nounB2
Definition

the crime of taking or moving people by force or deception and then forcing them to work, especially in the sex industry or as unpaid labourers

Example

Aylin's research focuses on preventing human trafficking in Southeast Asia.

collocation: human trafficking

Police rescued twelve victims of sex trafficking from a network of hidden apartments.

collocation: sex trafficking victims

Common collocations
  • human trafficking
  • sex trafficking
  • labour trafficking
  • trafficking victim
  • trafficking ring
  • anti-trafficking
  • trafficking network
  • survivor of trafficking
Synonyms
  • modern slavery

    broader term covering all forms of forced exploitation, not just movement of people

Grammar Patterns

human trafficking

sex trafficking

labour trafficking

trafficking victim

Usage Note

Frequently combined with a modifier: 'human trafficking' (general), 'sex trafficking' (for sexual exploitation), 'labour trafficking' (for forced work). The victims are referred to as 'trafficking victims' or 'survivors of trafficking'. Distinguish from smuggling: smuggling involves voluntary movement across borders, whereas trafficking involves coercion, deception, or force. In legal and news contexts, 'human trafficking' is the standard formal term.

Common Mistakes

She is a victim of sex traffic.
She is a victim of sex trafficking.
The noun form for the crime is 'trafficking', never 'traffic'.
Human trafficking is the same as people smuggling.
Human trafficking involves force or deception; smuggling is voluntary illegal border crossing.
These are legally and conceptually distinct.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three terms describe prohibited commerce, but they differ in scope and connotation. 'Smuggling' specifically means moving goods or people across a border without paying taxes or without official permission — it is inherently cross-border. 'Trafficking' covers buying, selling, and moving illegal goods even within a single country, and it often implies an organised criminal network rather than an individual act. 'Illegal trade' is the broadest term, covering any buying or selling that breaks the law, from street sales of counterfeit goods to large-scale wildlife poaching. For example, selling fake watches from a market stall is illegal trade, but it would not be called trafficking; moving heroin between cities through a structured network is drug trafficking.

trafficking ↗smugglingillegal trade

Common collocations

Nouns

  • trafficking ring
  • trafficking network
  • trafficking operation
  • trafficking victim
  • trafficking case

Adverbs

  • illegally trafficked
  • widely trafficked

Phrases

  • combat trafficking
  • anti-trafficking efforts
  • victim of trafficking

Prepositions

  • trafficking in

Etymology

ItalianFrenchEnglish

The word 'trafficking' comes from 'traffic', which entered English in the 1500s from French 'trafic' (meaning trade), which in turn came from Italian 'traffico'. The original meaning was simply 'commerce' without any illegal connotation. By the 1800s, 'trafficking' had developed a specific sense of disreputable or illegal trade. In the late 20th century, the word took on its modern strong association with human exploitation alongside its existing meaning of illegal goods trade.