An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/schmuggeln

by Friedrich Kluge

schmuggeln, vb., ‘to smuggle,’ ModHG. only, formed from the equiv. LG. smuggeln; comp. Du. smokkeln, E. to smuggle (borrowed from the same source?). The orig. word is connected with the root smug, ‘to wind,’ to which the secondary sense of ‘secrecy’ may belong; comp. Du. smuigen, ‘to enjoy oneself secretly.’