Unusual items with high value on the black market

To most people, the black market remains an elusive place of dark trade, which is a fair interpretation. It's a blanket term that refers to the sale of illegal, immoral, or contraband items around the world, but it's not just in shady alleyways and among gangsters. Rather, it's quite sophisticated and can also inhabit stores or sites on the deep web.

The things we most often imagine being sold are organs, d****, and s**, but there are many more items that fetch a high price that would absolutely surprise you. Click through to learn more.

Flight attendant uniforms

There are some obvious security risks surrounding posing as a flight attendant, which is why they're not commercially available to people. But the sale of these uniforms on the black market, particularly in Japan, was earning some former flight attendants thousands of dollars. It got so bad that in 2010 Japan Airlines had to put official measures in to prevent former flight attendants from illegally auctioning off their uniforms.

Sea cucumber

One of the most unusual delicacies, the sea cucumber is a rare species popular in China. The government outlawed the fishing of sea cucumbers, however, which made it a hot commodity on the black market.

Laundry detergent

Have you ever wondered why laundry detergent is sometimes locked up in the grocery store? Theft of this home supply actually became a huge issue when so-called “Tide bandits” began stealing laundry detergent in huge quantities.

Fake degrees

School can be extremely expensive and time-consuming, but you can get a real-looking degree for much less time and money! There's a huge industry of fake degrees, diplomas, and certifications for those who want to skip a step or 10 on their way to a well-paid job.

Sand

While most people associate sand with a relaxing day on the beach, there's another world in which it's associated with violent crime. That's because sand and gravel are two of the most extracted minerals on earth, thanks to their incredible usefulness in construction, and as a finite resource coupled with the construction boom around the world, it's increasingly hard to find.

Scarily realistic masks

High-quality silicone masks that are human-passing are a hot commodity on the black market, often because they're stolen from high-production movie sets and special effects studios.

Baby formula

Baby formula is so hot on the black market that it's reportedly often referred to as “liquid gold.” The fact that it's in high demand, costs around US$400 to $800 a month to purchase, doesn't cost that much to produce, and is bought at a huge bulk by retailers makes it the perfect item to steal and resell on the black market.

Tree nuts

Organized agricultural crime rings have long targeted California's pistachio, almond, and walnut growers. Nuts make the perfect product to steal as they have no serial numbers, they're less perishable, and they're pricey.

Social security numbers with great credit scores

Millions of people struggle with credit card debt and are denied loans or a lease on an apartment. Hackers have capitalized on that desperate feeling and sell social security numbers attached to great credit scores on the deep web.

Tibetan antelope scarf (shahtoosh)

The Tibetan antelope, known as the chiru, is known for its high-quality fur and has been on the Grade A endangered list for years—a category that affords the animal the highest level of protection. Shawls made from their fur are illegal, but have skyrocketed on the black market, selling for as much as US$20,000 each, Vice reports.

Netflix accounts

Most people have either used someone else's Netflix account or have had an ex continue to use their own account after breaking up, and that speaks to how common account-sharing once was. Because of how common it became with accounts being sold on the black market, Netflix had to tighten up their security.

Sperm

The real crime here is health insurance, which fails many people in their endeavor to have an assisted pregnancy. Plus, sometimes the wait for these processes can be up to two years, so many people turn to alternative fertilization methods on the black market.

Transportation

In most places, public transportation like buses, taxis, and so forth are legal because the government regulates them and keeps a close eye on them. Getting anonymous transportation holds a lot of appeal for shady people wanting to go where they're not supposed to, or who need their travel to not be trackable.

Four Loko

The original Four Loko was a malt liquor-based caffeinated alc***** beverage—two cans of which would have the same effect on the body as chugging 10 beers—and was understandably taken off the market due to it being unsafe. The new version of Four Loko does not contain caffeine, but some people still wanted the original.

Twinkies

When Hostess announced they were in bankruptcy proceedings in 2012, everyone feared for the future of this beloved cream-filled treat. So much so, in fact, that people started buying as many boxes as they could.