1. Illegal or prohibited trade; smuggling.
2. Goods that are unlawful to import, export, or possess. — contraband, adj.
absolute contraband. Goods used primarily for war, such as arms and ammunition, as well as clothing and equipment of a military character.
conditional contraband. Goods susceptible of being used for warlike and peaceful purposes, such as coal and food.
— Also termed ancipitis usus (an-sip-i-t[schwa]s yoo-s[schwa]s).
contraband per se. Property whose possession is unlawful regardless of how it is used. Cf. derivative contraband.
derivative contraband. Property whose possession becomes unlawful when it is used in committing an illegal act. Cf. contraband per se.