GameStop sold a used video game filled with meth
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}File photo: Members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) get inventory of plastic bags containing methamphetamine hydrochloride known locally as "shabu", after they were seized in a police anti-drugs operation, at a police station in Manila, Philippines November 4, 2016. (REUTERS/Ezra Acayan)
When deciding to buy a used copy of a game, your focus is usually on the disc and if there are any visible scratches. It seems employees at GameStop are also completely focused on the disc as they keep missing bags of meth left in the case by previous owners.
For the second time, a used game purchased at GameStop contained a bag of meth discovered by a child. The first incident occurred in September last year when an 11-year-old purchased a used game from a Louisiana GameStop with a "baggie of drugs" discovered inside. Police identified the substance in the bag as meth.
As reported by Kotaku, in this latest case another 11-year-old discovered a bag of drugs on Sunday, May 7 after purchasing a used copy of Grand Theft Auto V from the Capital West Tallahassee GameStop in Florida. The bag was hidden in between the pages of the manual and luckily his mother, Kayla McAllister, became aware of the bag before anything bad could happen. The police were called and the substance was also confirmed to be meth.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}GameStop insists all used games are checked before being sold, but clearly those checks are not good enough. There's very limited space within a game case and a bag would be easily spotted by someone flicking through the pages of a manual. The fact this has happened twice now suggests GameStop needs to review its used game checking process.
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GameStop has since contacted the McAllister family and offered to mail them out a replacement game, but the offer was refused. Kayla McAllister will not be using GameStop stores again. She may also want to consider her choice of game for an 11-year-old to play. GTA V is rated Mature 17+.
As to why video games are turning up containing drugs, the obvious answer is game cases make for an easy method of hidden transportation. If stopped and searched, there's a lower chance of the bag being found inside the pages of a manual than inside a pocket. The carrier can also claim they are just out visiting a friend to play a game.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.