# mule

/ˈmjuɫ/ (US) · /mjˈuːl/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mule
Updated: 2026-05-06

## Definition

a person who is paid to carry illegal drugs from one country to another. This is a very dangerous and illegal job.

For teachers: a person who smuggles contraband, typically narcotics, across a border for a third party. Often used in criminal justice contexts to describe low-level participants in a trafficking network.

## Examples

- The police arrested a drug mule at the airport.
- Customs officers are trained to spot a mule by looking for signs of extreme nervousness or inconsistent travel stories.
- The investigation revealed that the cartel recruited a desperate student to act as a mule, promising a large sum for transporting the package across the border.

## Usage notes

- Often appears in the compound phrase 'drug mule'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.