Week 6 EOC : Illicit

What do you think of when you think of the black market? What kind of people do you associate when you think of the black market? The black market has changed drastically over the years and in today’s marketplace the trade of illegal goods ranges from drugs and firearms to merchandise like purses, sunglasses and computer or automotive parts. Some of the goods being illegally traded are nothing more than knock offs of the real items made in back shops and warehouses. Many of these places are man powered by people who could be considered modern day slaves. Many people buy these goods on the streets of major cities never giving a second thought to the networks of criminals behind the movement of these goods. Have you ever bought a knock off watch or a pair of sunglasses with a logo of an expensive brand for a cheap price from a peddler on the street? Did you ever stop to think that you could be in a way funding mass organized crime? The war on this type of criminal activity is reaching astounding levels. The scary thing about it is that governments around the world are losing the battle, with only a few victories in-between. These networks of criminals have reached out to more than you would think corrupting individuals in power and in high places. Sometimes even corrupting those who have been elected to enforce the laws and crack down on this type of activity. If this sounds like the plot of a Hollywood block buster it’s not it is real everyday life happening around the globe on a daily basis. National Geographic put a special together on this very subject and if you get the opportunity to watch it I think it would be as eye opening for you as it was for me. To think that some of the items many people need to function on a daily basis like medical drugs are being made in back rooms and shops made with any combination of chemicals to look like the real thing and then being packaged and sold is a very scary thing.