How did illegal smuggling affect the Portuguese empire?

(1 point)
The Portuguese rulers profited from it.
It caused a war between Spain and Portugal.
It caused economic hardship in the empire.
It led Portugal to expand its colonies

1 answer

The most appropriate answer is: The Portuguese rulers profited from it.

Illegal smuggling often provided opportunities for profit, allowing merchants and rulers within the Portuguese empire to benefit financially from trade that bypassed official channels and regulations.