Presentation of the special issue: Apresentação à edição especial

The special issue of the Journal of Illicit Economies and Development presents various aspects of illicit markets in Brazil, their connections with legal activities and the institutional responses. It focuses on the characters, moral standards and operating rules of those economies, and explores the prevalence of non-state regulation, as well as the connection between illegal trade and economic development. This introductory article offers a brief introduction on Brazilian current debates and outlines key aspects of the papers comprising the special issue.