Blackmarket
Black market refers to the portion of the economy that operates outside government regulation and legal channels, where goods or services are traded in violation of laws or to evade taxes, price controls, or import restrictions. It encompasses both real-world markets and online platforms, and often features items and services that are illegal or heavily regulated. Common exchanges involve illicit drugs, weapons, stolen property, counterfeit goods, forged documents, or illicit services. Transactions are conducted covertly using cash, prepaid cards, or cryptocurrencies to reduce traceability, and participants face legal penalties if discovered.
Offline markets include street trades, smuggling networks, and hidden bazaars; online markets use anonymizing networks, digital
Economically, black markets arise where prohibitions, price controls, or tax regimes create incentives to transact outside
Governments address black markets through criminal penalties, customs controls, regulation, and, in some cases, harm-reduction or