How is Smuggling a violation of mercantilism?

Smuggling violates mercantilism by undermining the strict regulations and controls that governments impose on trade to maximize national wealth. Mercantilism emphasizes a positive balance of trade and the accumulation of precious metals, achieved through legal trade channels. Smuggling disrupts this system by allowing goods to be exchanged outside of government oversight, evading tariffs and trade restrictions, which ultimately diminishes state revenue and economic control. Thus, it directly contradicts the mercantilist goal of regulating commerce to benefit the nation.