Malá Úpa was once a paradise for smugglers. The huge price differences and the unavailability of goods on both sides of the border were a great temptation for this dangerous activity. Smugglers carried coffee, spices, alcohol and kerosene from Prussia on their backs (often weighing up to 90 kg). They also delivered high-quality butter and home-made cheese to Prussia. The smugglers had to be strong and sturdy men, able to carry a heavy load and still evade the lurking border guards. The Soví sedlo was one of the main smuggling routes.