A Documentary Worth Watching

Over the weekend I watched a great documentary made by National Geographic entitled “Illicit, The Dark Trade.” I wanted to share with you how Dr. Moises Naim, Editor of Foreign Policy Magazine for 10 years investigating illicit trade and author of the book that inspired the documentary, explains that consumers' insatiable demand for counterfeit merchandise has given birth to a vast and dangerous criminal system.

When someone buys a fake handbag, they are touching the tip of an iceberg. They are touching the end very long chain of networks that in fact constitutes a criminal enterprise of global nature," said Dr. Moises Naim in the documentary.
I work in New York, a city where illicit goods are available on every street corner. The documentary points out how the counterfeit trade which includes everything from sunglasses to watches to pharmaceuticals, and even car brakes, supports additional illicit underground activties such as…a kidney bought from a broker in India, the illegal nanny paid for by a professional couple, the drug dealer with heroin from Afghanistan.

And if it doesn’t already seem dangerous enough, it gets worse. Dr. Naim explains how the demand for these counterfeit goods creates an underground network through which other illegal activities can also take place. The handbag you purchased in a NYC corner may seem harmless, but in fact it travels through a supply chain that can carry far more sinister products from an AK-47 to machinery to build atomic weapons.
This film really demonstrates how we all need to reevaluate how our desire to own a “name brand" knowing that we are purchasing a fake product not only supports a grey market but also fuels global crimes against humanity and even national security. The first step is educating ourselves and our friends about this issue and this film is a great vehicle to spread the word.