Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-27449779-20151222131224/@comment-44061-20151223182912

The implication was always that the Gotei 13 knew exactly were he was and what he was doing and just did nothing about it. I mean they have great manpower and capability not to mention he wasnt really putting in any effort into hiding considering his role in the series. In fact besides not being stripped of his power he was doing exactly what he was punished with, exiled to the human world. Even Aizen knew where he was hence the whole send rukia to Karakura town set up and what not. My point being is that people such as Urahara and the Shibas still are very much needed and make themselves useful regardless of their standing. Also to your black market point, that concept only works if there is still someone amongst the shinigami willing to deal with him seeing that those outside of the shinigami are regular souls and dont have access or capability to produce the things Urahara gets his hands on that are not of his own creation.