The black market is not limited to drugs and stolen data. This article describes a hidden economy in which ordinary, and sometimes disgusting, items become valuable because they are rare, tightly regulated, or needed as raw material for illegal products. The trade includes everything from sand and fireflies to luxury labels, disability access at Disney, and human hair.
One surprising commodity is sand. Because high-quality construction sand is scarce worldwide, illegal trafficking has become common. In darker uses, sand taken from cemeteries is sold at high prices to people who believe it has value for witchcraft and black magic.
In China, fireflies are an illegal hit, not for medicine but for ceremonies and festive displays. Despite government bans, dealers have gone underground to meet demand for the visual effect. Another item with black-market value is the waste of luxury fashion brands, such as Louis Vuitton labels, which counterfeiters use to make fake goods more convincing. That is one reason many companies destroy unsold stock.
The report also says Disney disability passes, meant to help people with disabilities skip lines, are being resold to ordinary visitors. In some cases, the disabled pass-holder even accompanies the group as a fake guide to avoid checks. Finally, human hair is traded for wigs, especially natural blond or red hair, which can fetch high prices when it comes from temple donations or from shaving of the deceased.