Why did some American colonists engage in smuggling and piracy? to collect more money for the British government because that was a way to obtain goods cheaply to stop imports from sailing from other countries because there were no consequences for breaking the law

Restrictions were placed on what the colonies could manufacture, whose ships they could use, and most importantly, with whom they could trade. British merchants wanted American colonists to buy British goods, not French, Spanish, or Dutch products. In theory, Americans would pay Duties on imported goods to discourage this practice. The Navigation Acts and the Molasses Act are examples of royal attempts to restrict colonial trade. Smuggling is the way the colonists ignored these restrictions.