The use of video games and social networks to recruit minors and introduce them to organized crime has experienced an alarming increase in recent times. Popular games like Free Fire, Fortnite, and Call of Duty have become tools for capturing children and teenagers, tempting them with the promise of easy money and a life of luxury, with the goal of recruiting them into drug cartels.
In Oaxaca, a recent case was reported in which a minor recruited by the Sinaloa Cartel, a group known for its activity in drug trafficking and currently under scrutiny by Donald Trump, was rescued. However, the Oaxaca Prosecutor's Office highlights that not only the Sinaloa Cartel but also other criminal organizations such as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Northeastern Cartel, and Los Antrax have infiltrated video games to attract young people.
"Video games have become fertile ground for criminal groups to identify and select their victims," pointed out Víctor Ruiz, a cybersecurity specialist. Criminals choose their victims based on their skills in virtual weapon use and assign them roles within the game to gain their trust before luring them into their illicit activities.
According to Ruiz, approximately 250,000 children are at risk of being recruited by criminal groups in Mexico, making up the main sector of video game players in the country. The Network for the Rights of Children in Mexico has identified 18 states as areas of high criminal incidence, including Tamaulipas, Sinaloa, Michoacán, Jalisco, Oaxaca, and the State of Mexico, where the recruitment of minors is a constantly increasing issue.
Additionally, hackers have also found in video games and social networks a means to recruit young people and draw them into cybercrime and cyber scams. According to Manuel Moreno, CISO of IQSEC, the average age of individuals arrested for cyber crimes is 19 years, indicating the growing influence of these crimes on youth. Parents show little concern, even though hackers are increasingly involved in contacting and recruiting teenagers interested in cybercrime.
