Eleven Sunam Market vendors face punishment after selling smuggled goods
Eleven market vendors in Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province, whose businesses had been suffering from logistics issues following the COVID-19 outbreak, were recently arrested by the Ministry of Social Security (MSS) for selling smuggled goods, Daily NK has learned.
A source in the province told Daily NK in a phone call last Friday that “eleven market vendors who had been selling seasonings in Chongjin’s Sunam Market were arrested by the MSS on Mar. 11, after they changed their businesses [and started selling smuggled goods instead] due to the lack of supplies caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
According to the source, “the border closure has led to a shortage in seasonings like sugar and pepper and also a sharp increase in the price of goods,” which has led to “market vendors who sold such condiments complaining of difficulties running their businesses.”
Daily NK understands that, when it became impossible for them to make a living selling seasonings, the eleven vendors started engaging in black market trade by selling items such as fertilizers, pesticides, and plastic film products used in farming. ......
[Source: DailyNK]
