Musk remains silent “Starlink” black market is thriving in Yemen, Sudan, Venezuela, Kazakhstan and others

Bloomberg revealed the growing illegal use of Starlink's Internet service in countries such as Yemen, Sudan, Venezuela, South Africa and Central Asia, and the emergence of a large black market for this service.

A report by the agency indicated that how it is smuggled and the extent of the availability of “Starlink” on the black market indicates that its misuse “represents a real global problem and raises questions about the company’s control over a system that has clear national security dimensions.”

The agency pointed out that Starlink groups appear in many of those markets anyway, with the resulting geopolitical consequences and the boom witnessed by the black market for Starlink stations from Sudan to Venezuela.

She noted the interest of American government officials in this matter, and the obstacles preventing the closure of the black market.

Yemen

The agency said that a senior government official in Yemen admitted that “Starlink” is widely used and that many people are willing, despite the war conditions, to secure commercial and personal communications stations and evade the Internet service available locally, which is often slow and censored.

Sudan and Kazakhstan

In Sudan, for example, with the Internet being cut off regularly for several months, RSF soldiers are among those using the system in their logistical services, according to Western diplomats.

In Central Asia, where Starlink deals are rare, the government crackdown on illegal terminals in Kazakhstan this year has barely affected their use. All it did was raise prices on the black market, according to a trader who imports equipment and did not want to speak publicly for fear of accountability.

Before government intervention, customers were able to purchase the company's equipment and have it shipped via the local postal service, the merchant said.

SpaceX pledges to investigate

It is noteworthy that SpaceX owner Elon Musk expects to earn $30 billion annually in revenue from Starlink.

SpaceX did not respond to Bloomberg’s request to comment on a list of questions in this regard, but the company stated in a post on the “X” platform last February: “If SpaceX becomes aware that the Starlink station is being used by a sanctioned or unauthorized party, we will "We are investigating the claim and are taking action to deactivate the station if confirmed."