black market

U.S. Officials Fear Russian Smugglers May Sell Uranium on Black Market

Last month, there were reports of a joint effort between Eastern European countries, especially Moldova, and the FBI to crack down on nuclear smugglers. The deadly contraband for sale in those accounts was cesium, which could be used to create dirty bombs. The authorities were somewhat skeptical about these black marketeers possessing serious nuclear bomb fuel.

AP Photo/Georgia Interior Ministry

How ISIS Makes Money from the Black Market

Imagine: you are window-shopping on a quiet street, perhaps in London or Paris or New York. Something remarkable catches your eye: an ancient coin, a gold chain, a tiny figurine. Impulsively, you enter the shop, where the owner explains to you that the sculpture comes originally from Mesopotamia, that the necklace is Byzantine. It isn’t inexpensive, but the shopkeeper has guaranteed its provenance and the price seems fair; and besides, you quite love it. You say yes, and leave the shop with your new treasure tucked safely in a bag.

AFP/HO/Media Office of the Nineveh branch