Real Mexican cartels reportedly using GTA Online to recruit drug mules
Rockstar GamesReal-life Mexican drug cartels appear to be recruiting new mules through GTA Online, according to a shocking new report.
For ages, there has been an ongoing debate over whether or not video games cause violence, but a new case is putting a new twist on the question: is GTA Online being used in real-world drug trafficking?
According to a report from Forbes, in November of 2021 Customs and Border Protection officials in Arizona inspected a jeep when they discovered a whopping 60kg of methamphetamine in the vehicle’s fuel tank.
The driver, Alyssa Navarro, explained that back in January, she was playing GTA Online when she met a man going by “George.” The two played together for a bit and eventually, the two added each other on Snapchat and they eventually met up in person in Phoenix.
Rockstar GamesGeorge then went on to ask Navarro if she would like to work as a “runner” and ship electronics that could be sold in Mexico, all to the tune of $2,000 per trip depending on the size of the load.
In Snapchat messages obtained by the feds, George promised Navarro “a lot of money” and offered her a truck to use in the trips, which is believed to be the Jeep was in.
Navarro claimed that she was told to meet a man named Alfredo in Mexico and he gave her the Jeep. She was then reportedly told to take the car to another location and fill up at certain fuel stations during the trip.
Forbes says that earlier in January, Navarro pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to import and sell methamphetamine.
In any case, the story is a good example of why it’s important to be careful with who you meet online and that some jobs are too good to be true.