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by buckie 2177 days ago
> These aren't street dealers. It's an organized, carefully designed, well-oiled machine. How does this machine work? How does it survive the loss of so many members?

Narconomics[1] has a pretty good discussion of the economics (including recruiting) of cartels.

[1]: https://www.amazon.com/Narconomics-How-Run-Drug-Cartel/dp/16...
3 comments
koheripbal 2177 days ago
The real barrier to entry here is the stress. Always feeling those butterflies when the phone rings - getting nervous when you see a police car - freaking out a little when the doorbell rings.

It's no way to live - and don't even think about having a family/kids after you get involved. You'll die early of the stress.

If you think you're a master 1337 hacker or online drug dealer - just get a job in IT security. It pays better, comes with zero stress.

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driverdan 2177 days ago
> It pays better, comes with zero stress.

Spoken like someone who has never done either.

15+ years ago when I was hacking and doing credit card fraud, I could make $1000 cash a day without a lot of effort or time. Because I was careful about protecting myself and didn't work a lot I didn't have much stress. I have far more stress with a full time job.

That said, the drug game would be a lot more stressful.

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tudorconstantin 2177 days ago
As a curiosity: what made you stop?
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driverdan 2177 days ago
I wanted to go legit and get into real estate. About 3 before I would have been out I got caught.
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driverdan 2177 days ago
*3 months
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simplicio 2177 days ago
Might be dated at this point, but a chapter in Freakonomics was about the economics of being a gang affiliated drug dealer in the US. The analysis there was that outside the top couple guys, the actual pay wasn't much better than just working as a fry cook or whatever, while the risk of being arrested or shot was much, much higher.

So even in criminal enterprises, I think you have to move up the distribution chain a ways to see the big $

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ASalazarMX 2177 days ago
> get a job in IT security. It pays better, comes with zero stress.

I beg to differ. All IT jobs have stress, but security by definition stresses you about things that haven't happened yet. If you have zero stress doing IT security, you're doing it wrong. Still immensely better than crime, though.

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iamben 2177 days ago
Second this recommendation. Fascinating read.
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Nightshaxx 2177 days ago
That is a fantastic title. I decided to buy it, thanks for the recommendation.
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