3) SMUGGLING
OUTLINE:
1. Introduction.
2. Alarming causes of smuggling:
a) The desire of getting rich overnight.
b) The variation of price in different countries is also a temptation for the smugglers.
c) Custom departments are not fully equipped and resourceful.
d) Some corrupt officials also assist the smugglers.
3. Harms and adverse effects of smuggling.
a) It gives rise to social vices.
b) It causes black marketing and rise in price.
4. Remedial measures to cope with the problem.
5. Conclusion.
Smuggling is indeed one of the worst social evils. It has become common not only in our country, but also in the entire world. It is not only a curse but also a great crime against the society.
Smuggling means to carry goods unlawfully into, or, out of a country. The smugglers carry goods, and the cheap goods, in particular, to a country where these are sold at high prices. There are generally restrictions on the transfer of such goods. The smugglers take the risk and carry in with this unlawful business. The favourite goods of smugglers are gold, silver, opium, and heroin, and so on.
There are variation causes of smuggling. These factors are common in almost all the country of the world, including our own country. These causes are discussed here as under.
First, there is the strong desire to become rich overnight through unlawful means. This is indeed the root-cause of smuggling. In the modern competitive age, the value of a man is judged by his wealth. Every person, therefore, is keen to become the richest of all. A man can earn money through some lawful business but gradually. Smuggling is, no doubt, risky, but it brings in wealth at once.
Second, a great difference exists between the price of a thing in one country and its price in another neighboring country. The prices of gold, silver, opium and other drugs or narcotics always vary in different countries. The smugglers expects large amount of profit.
Third, the smugglers are a well- organized group. They possess a lot of money. They possess the most modern cars, jeeps, steamers and weapons. Land and sea custom departments are not properly resourceful to check the social evil of smuggling.
Fourth, the corrupt government officers of the land and sea custom departments and of the other agencies of the government, meant for checking the illegal business of smugglers, also support smugglers for a bit of money. The smugglers are, therefore, not arrested and punished under the laws of the concerned country or under the international laws.
The bad practice of smuggling also gives rise to social vices. The smugglers offer large bribes to the custom officers and the police officers. Some are tempted and help the smugglers by ignoring them. Thus the practice of smuggling causes social evils like bribery and lust for money.
The shortage of goods smuggled to the other countries encourages black marketing. It results in the rise of price of the smuggled goods when there is scarcity of these goods in the local market, and it is the poor stratum that is affected by it.
The above mentioned are the main causes owing to which the worst social evil of smuggling is taking its root in our country like other countries of the world. The people, who indulge in smuggling, are the worst enemies of their country and countrymen.
The harms and adverse effects of smuggling are countless; smuggling causes an irreparable loss to the national economy. The wealth of one country is unlawfully transferred to other countries. Smuggling of gold reduces the gold reserves in a country. This social evil also gives birth to a number of other social evils, such as bribery and corruption. The prices of the goods, smuggled to other countries, also rise up. The smuggling of wheat, rice and other eatables forces the innocent people to face dearness in these things of daily use.
To conclude, smuggling, the worst social evil, is going on throughout the world. A smuggler is indeed the worst enemy of his country and countrymen. In order to check and eradicate this social evil, exemplary punishments must be given to the smugglers. The custom and police staff on the borders of the country must be efficient, dutiful, honest and patriotic. The people, living near the borders of the country, must also cooperate with the government to check smuggling. The citizens should also not but the smuggled goods. They must also inform their government if they come to know about the smugglers.
