Drugs, snakes, sex and the other stuff you can find on Facebook Marketplace

Facebook has announced the launch of its new local marketplace service, Marketplace.

Competing against the likes of Gumtree and Craigslist, Marketplace is "a convenient destination to discover, buy and sell items with people in your community", a natural spin off from those Facebook Groups that already existed to help connect sellers with buyers. Got something you want to sell - bunting, cool printed t-shirts, a computer fix service? Then stick yourself on Marketplace, where people can interact with your through Facebook Messenger.

Launching in the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand, users should see an update roll out across their app soon that'll see this icon appear at the bottom of their screen.

You can't go selling anything on the Marketplace though - Facebook has a list of rules on what can and can't be traded along with lengthy commerce policies, but these are the basics you shouldn't try shifting: 

• Illegal, prescription or recreational drugs
• Tobacco items and related paraphernalia
• Weapons, ammunition or explosives
• Animals
• Adult items or services
• Alcohol

All obvious, right? While the UK arm of Marketplace is still currently blank, the US pages are filling up - with many of the above goods.

Here's a selection of the illegal, bizarre and NSFW goods currently cropping up on the Marketplace, before Facebook employees spot them and take them down manually. As you giggle your way through the list, think of the poor fools at Facebook having to hunt this stuff down to remove. Then remember how much money the company earns, and feel that sympathy evaporate almost immediately...