How Michigan Could Be A Mecca For Smuggling in a Tariff Driven Trade War

The Great Lakes became legendary during Prohibition for the smuggling of alcohol from Canada were production and consumption was legal into the United States. Southeast Michigan in particular, Detroit - Windsor, Algonac/Walpole Island, and Port Huron/Sarnia were smuggling hot spots.

Could that happen again, but with very different products should high tariffs and an escalating trade war erupt between particularly the United States and China.

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The question came up on the Michigan Politics subreddit of Reddit asking:

If tariffs against China (or other countries) continue for months or years, do you think the Great Lakes could become a hub for smuggling electronics and other tariffed goods like they were for alcohol during Prohibition? 75% of alcohol smuggled from Canada to the US during Prohibition came through the "Windsor-Detroit funnel"

What Modern Day Smuggling on the Great Lakes Could Look

It's interesting to think of what a modern day smuggling operation would look like. While human trafficking and elicit drugs are often thought about as cross-border movement, a smuggling operation may be electronics from China and elsewhere in Asia legally imported into Canada and then illegally across the Lakes into Michigan.

Many were quick to point out that smuggling in the 2020s would be nothing like the Prohibition era of a century ago. Cameras everywhere, motion sensors at the borders, X-Rays and more security and deterrent devices change the entire game.

Likely gone would be those fabled frozen runs across a narrow body of water between Canada and Michigan in the winter.

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Of course, it goes without saying smuggling is absolutely a crime with the trafficking of goods that did not go through the import process will likely land you significant jail time and fines.

But pirates do exist even today even if they're not flying the Jolly Roger. As one Redditor noted:

Born too late to be a Caribbean pirate, born too early to be a space pirate, born just in time to be a pirate sailing the great lakes