Smuggling is one of the most lucrative activities for the smart player. The principle is simple: buy liquor or drugs cheaply in one city and sell them at a profit in another. Prices differ per city, so market knowledge and good timing are everything. Smuggling is about traveling and market insight rather than brute force.
How it works
- Buying — buy stock (different types of liquor or drugs) in the city you're standing in.
- Traveling — move to a city where your goods sell for more. See Traveling & the cities.
- Selling — cash in your stock at the local price. The difference between buying and selling price is your profit.
Carrying capacity
You can't carry unlimited amounts: every type has a weight and your carrying capacity is limited. You can carry light drugs in larger quantities than heavy liquor. So plan your purchases around what you can transport efficiently.
Risk and heat
- Selling risk — selling everything at once is faster but riskier (higher arrest chance). Sell in smaller batches, and you lower the chance of getting caught.
- City heat — every purchase raises the "heat" in that city, making future purchases riskier. Heat drops back down on its own.
- Cooldown — after selling, a cooldown applies before you can sell that type again.
With the honor points boost Discretion you temporarily bypass the rise in city heat — handy when you want to buy a lot in a row.