Illicit Market: Economic Impacts and Challenges of Combat

Brazil is grappling with the rising challenge of the illicit market, an issue that directly impacts the economy, public finances, health services, and public safety. A workshop in Brasília organized by the Mercado Ilegal project will bring together authorities, experts, and private sector representatives to discuss these matters. The event, which takes place on this Thursday (date not specified), will address five key aspects: contraband, frauds in fuels, product counterfeiting, illegal connections for basic services, and digital piracy. The debate also explores the links of these practices with organized crime and strategies for combating them.

The illicit market is a global reality that has grown in scale, reflecting issues such as economic competitiveness, customs supervision, and legislation. In the Brazilian context, these activities not only compromise the integrity of legal supply chains but also significantly harm public finances and citizens' health. For instance, fuel smuggling can lead to price distortions, reducing tax revenues and increasing costs for consumers and businesses.

Experts participating in the first panel include Edson Vismona from the Forum Nacional Contra a Pirataria e a Ilegalidade (FNCP), Erivelto Moysés Torrico Alencar, Deputy Superintendent of the Federal Revenue Service in Region 1, and Leandro Piquet, Professor at the Institute of International Relations and Coordinator of the Multidimensional Security School at USP. The second panel will address fuel frauds, discussing adulteration, tax evasion, and organized crime.

The event is part of the Mercado Ilegal project promoted by newspapers Valor, O Globo, and Extra, as well as radio station CBN. It counts on the support of companies such as Philip Morris Brasil, Mercado Livre, and BAT Brasil. The full program and free registrations can be accessed at: https://oglobo.globo.com/projetos/mercadoilegal/.