Cuba targets black market sales during pandemic

Cuban officials are targeting stolen and black market goods for sale at prices far higher than found in state stores, trying to curtail thefts and illicit sales of food products and other hard-to-find goods.

Long lines outside markets and state stores are a common sight around the island, as a pandemic-driven shortage of daily necessities makes life even harder than usual for the average consumer.

There is nothing new in the availability of a black market for goods stolen from the state and re-sold at often exorbitant prices, but the government has launched a crackdown, trying to discourage illegal activity as anger and complaints about shortages have become more common.

Cuba's economy could shrink as much as 5% due to the pandemic, which has forced the island to shutter its lucrative tourism industry and close private businesses.

Regular shipments of consumer goods to the island have been halted or delayed, leaving shortages of many products in stores that are overrun by anxious consumers.

In the past week, state television showed one black marketer arrested for hoarding beer, soft drinks, tomato sauces and many other consumer items in demand for sale to consumers at high mark-ups.

The report said $1 million pesos ($25,000 US Dollars)  in cash was confiscated, along with all the goods stored in the underground chamber running underneath a Central Havana neighborhood.

In another instance, a television report showed a military operation in the provinces aimed at curbing the illegal sale of vegetables, like onions and tomatoes, both staples of Cuban cuisine.

Meanwhile, interminable lines at shops and stores that remain open are a challenge for consumers trying to feed their families.

To avoid even more shortages, rationing is enforced, with consumers allowed to buy limited amounts of any one item, ensuring the long lines will continue to stoke frustration in the country.

The government is issuing residents cards that restrict where they can shop, hoping to limit the spread of coronavirus, while also maintaining stocks of consumer items for local neighborhoods.