Cuba cracks down on black-market factories

Updated Tuesday, January 20, 2009 1:52 pm TWN, AFP
Cuba cracks down on black-market factories

HAVANA -- Pressing a campaign against the black market, authorities in
communist Cuba have shut down 79 shops, 200 small factories and 167
in-home "warehouses" in five months, state media said Sunday. What are
Cubans cranking out in all those illegal enterprises? Things they have a
hard time affording, including soft drinks and liquors; furniture; hair
care supplies; construction material and even medicines, they said.

"Crime is Down," the weekly Tribuna de la Habana crowed. But Cuba's
black market was critical to Cubans' everyday lives even before two
major hurricanes in September

Now, Cubans arguably may be turning to it more than ever as they
struggle to put food on the table earning an average of about US$17-20 a
month. The black market is "stocked" by theft from stores, warehouses
and factories all of which are in state hands. Police in recent weeks
confiscated expired medications, gasoline, cement, waterproofing
materials and even toilet tanks, official media reported.

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/americas/2009/01/20/192910/Cuba%2Dcracks.htm