The black market can be brutal, exploitative, corrupt. Nothing is off-limits; everything is for sale. And what you buy may not be what it seems. But it's an industry estimated to be worth hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S. alone. Join the suppliers, sellers, customers, and the law enforcement officials trying to keep it in check as they share their experience of a hidden world that touches us all.
6 episodes
1. Ghost GunsTo get away with a crime, criminals look for completely untraceable guns. Enter the “ghost” gun: an exact replica with a fake serial number and no ballistic record — a gun that is potentially invisible to law enforcement.GCC44minJan 7, 2015
2. Sex for SaleThe illegal, multibillion-dollar global sex trade includes brothels, massage parlors and online escort agencies and is one of the oldest professions. Take a look inside this illegal trade where pimps treat women as commodities — bought and sold, used and abused, then discarded.GCC44minJan 14, 2015
3. Human CargoMexican cartels dominate an extremely lucrative industry exporting undocumented migrants and squeezing them for cash. Thousands of Central Americans head north to the US border, lured by hopes for a brighter future, but people smugglers, who are often linked to cartels, make it difficult to cross without their supervision, and for a price.GCC44minJan 21, 2015
4. Illegal GamblingMillions of Americans love to gamble, but some forms of gambling are restricted or illegal, pushing them underground, where the rules are very different. Here, if you want to play you have to pay.GCC44minJan 28, 2015
5. Knock-offsAnything and everything can be faked: watches, purses, shoes, electronics, smartphones. Go underground to see the breathtaking enterprise and expertise of counterfeiting — an economy that turns over an estimated $500 billion a year.GCC44minFeb 4, 2015
6. Fake PharmaKnock off Pharma is on the internet, in the pharmacies and on the streets. The trade is getting ugly and the consequences are deadly.GCC44minFeb 11, 2015
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The black market can be brutal, exploitative, corrupt. Nothing is off-limits; everything is for sale. And what you buy may not be what it seems. But it's an industry estimated to be worth hundreds of billions of dollars in the U.S. alone. Join the suppliers, sellers, customers, and the law enforcement officials trying to keep it in check as they share their experience of a hidden world that touches us all.
Creators and cast
- Studio
- National Geographic, Wall to Wall
Maturity rating
GCheck the rating before watching with younger viewers.
Audio languages
English
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