Smuggling

[Fideach]

Could anyone provide insight on how smuggling works as an Pirate Empire? I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong or just misunderstanding how the mechanic works. Or perhaps there's a bug?
I built freighters. They have the range and space. I have multiple sources for the resource being requested in the smuggling mission. The missions shows I have several ships available for the smuggling mission. But when I accept them. Nothing happens. My freighters just stay still. I may have one or two ships actually doing something rarely to deliver goods. But majority of my cargo ships just sit around doing nothing. Stations show excess in the resources.

[Kayoz]

Sounds like you are experiencing a known issue.

[Banquet]

Potentially stupid question... I've not yet tried playing a pirate faction, but what is it about smuggling missions that make the smuggling, rather than trade? From what I've read the missions are requested by the race needing the resources, so it sounds more like trading than smuggling to me. Is there some element of there not being permission, or getting caught?

[Erik Rutins]

There are a few differences. First, smuggling missions are only available to pirate freighters. These are indistinguishable from normal freighters for the most part, though occasionally a smuggler may be detected. In completing the mission, a reward for each resource unit is awarded. This prioritizes these missions over other normal trade for all pirate freighters. Finally, smugglers are one way that pirates create control and influence over a colony, so inviting smugglers in will increase pirate control and your own corruption.

[Raap]

Yeah, my freighters are regularly 'discovered' and attacked. Tend to build them cheap and quick now. The increased price gained from smuggling over trading tends to make it worth it however. So basically it's a more profitable and slightly more risky(slightly, because ordinary freighters can get attacked as well) type of trade.