Source: Rachel Stohl, “The Tangled Web of Illicit Arms Trafficking,” Center for American Progress, October 14, 2004, (accessed: November 15, 2006).
Tag: United States Economy
News and data on black market activities within the United States. Drug trafficking, counterfeit goods and human trafficking information included.
Price for AK-47s in Iraq
In Iraq, the prices of small arms have increased since the U.S. invasion. According to a report by the New York Times, Kalashnikovs were priced between $75 to $150 in early 2003. By late 2006, the prices increased to the range of $210 to $650. In some areas of Iraq, the price has increased to $800, with compact Kalashnikovs favored by Osama bin Laden selling for as much as $2000.
Illegal Arms in Iraq during US Occupation
The Center for Defense Information (CDI) has reported on the thriving black market that has existed throughout the U.S. occupation. In a December 2006 report, the CDI stated that “weapons originally supplied by the U.S. and its allies to the Iraqi police have been showing up on the streets and on the black market, likely diverted by theft, loss, or by officers who kept their weapons after quitting the police force”.
10,579 US guns seized in Mexico in 2006
According to the Mexican Department of National Defense, 10,579 guns were seized in Mexico that originated from the United States. This figure is up from the 3,214 guns that were seized in 2002.
Cheapest Kidneys are from the Philippines
According to the non-governmental organization Asia Against Child Trafficking, the cheapest kidneys sold on the black market are from the Philippines. Filipinos who sell their kidneys on the black market are paid an average of $1,500, up to 20 times cheaper than the $30,000 average price of a kidney sold in the United States.
Number of Children Working in Sex Trade in Las Vegas
A report from Shared Hope International has found that in a single month more than 400 children were working as prostitutes in Las Vegas.
Prostitutes in Chicago earn $27 an hour
According to Steven Levitt, street prostitutes earn on average $27 an hour.
Iguanas for Sale on the Black Market
A smuggler was charged by authorities in California for stealing endangered iguanas from a nature preserve in Fiji. According to law enforcement officials, Jereme James smuggled the iguanas into America through his prosthetic leg. He previously sold three iguanas on the black market for $32,000.
Top Ten downloading schools in the U.S.
The figures are based on notice of violation letters sent by the Recording Industry Association of America. The figures were based during the time period of September 2006 to mid-February 2007. According to the Christian Science Monitor, here are the top ten schools that illegally download music from the Internet: 1. Ohio University 2. Purdue… Continue reading Top Ten downloading schools in the U.S.
Human smuggler usage on the US-Mexico border
In the late 1990s, 90 percent of illegal immigrants in the US from Mexico were believed to have paid a human smuggler to guide them over the border.