The Sugar and Stamp Acts were enacted by the British government in an attempt to raise funds to pay off massive debts acquired from the Seven Years war. At the end of the Seven Years war in 1763, the British national debt had doubled and led British politicians to find an alternate source of revenue. The Sugar Act of 1764 lowered the import tax on French molasses, making it more feasible for shippers to pay the import taxes. The act also stiffened the penalty for smuggling and allowed British naval crews to board any suspicious ship and act as customs officials. These measures were meant to deter smugglers and boost import tax revenue. However, these laws proved ineffective because smugglers continued to illegally import the molasses.