Bootlegging is a term to describe smuggling. While originally the term described illegal transport and sale of alcoholic beverages on which excise taxes had not been paid, it now refers more broadly to the sale or transport of many types of goods either illegal or grey market.

It is said that the term originates from the method of hiding alcohol in flasks on the legs of sellers, above or under the boot. The term is sometimes used to refer exclusively to the production of untaxed alcoholic products; however, that is more accurately called "moonshining." Most bootleg liquor is not "home-made" by a moonshiner but, instead, bottled by professional distillers.

The illegal sale of many consumer products other than alcohol is often termed Bootlegging as well. Goods such as compact discs, DVDs and other Intellectual Property are considered to be "bootleg" if they are replicated without permission of the copyright holder.

History

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During Prohibition of the 1920s in the United States, much of the bootleg whiskey was brought in from Canada (See American Whiskey Trail) and much of the bootleg rum was imported from Mexico or Cuba via "rum roads" or "rum routes." . Today most bootleg alcohol in the United States is made domestically but sold "under the table" or "off the back of a truck" without the necessary permits and taxes.

Other Meanings

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Bootlegging is used to describe many similar phenomena relating to illegal activity.

In Business

In economics and business administration literature bootlegging is defined as research in which motivated individuals secretly organise the innovation process. It usually is a bottom-up, non-programmed activity, without the official authorisation of the responsible management, but for the benefit of the company. It is not in the department’s action plan nor are there any formal resources allocated towards it.

Music

The term is also applied to musicians who create bastard pop songs ("bootlegs" or "mash-ups") by combining tracks (which are often illegally sampled) from different artists to create a new piece of music.

Unofficial audio recordings of live performances in particular are often called bootlegs.

Criminals