The area was mainly used for smuggling, especially during World War I, when the temptation to bring goods into the neighboring country, which was in great need, led a large number of Hondarribia residents to specialize in smuggling. This expertise was not lost at the end of the war, and the activity continued to develop, also in the opposite direction, particularly after World War II, when Spaniards in the postwar period faced severe shortages and needs. The activity declined around the 1950s; during this time, the Hondarribia smuggler "Patxiku" became famous.