3D Printed Nintendo Cartridges Used To Smuggle Drugs, Dealers Busted

(Source: De Telegraaf)

Man, you just can't trust video game cartridges that ship overseas, can you? Just months after we reported a story about contraband spiders hiding within Nintendo cartridges, drug dealers have now attempted to use this format to their advantage.

According to 3Ders.org, Dutch police recently apprehended four people that were found to be suspicious drug dealers. But what's bizarre here is how they attempted to hide the drugs as they were shipping them out.

The group had been running a dark operation for some time, using three different 3D printers to manufacture fake Nintendo cartridges, as well as ink cartridges, to harbor drugs hidden inside them. These include cocaine, MDMA and other types of drugs.

3D cartridges had been printed in the past for more innocent purposes over the years – someone even managed to make a working harmonica that looked like an NES system. But, obviously, this time around, they were modeled for far more sinister means.

Before their arrest, the team had been shipping these cartridges to a number of locations, including Australia and Singapore, while working within the small town of Werkendam. As part of the bust, the 3D printers used to make the cartridges have been confiscated, along with various other pieces of equipment.

The police were actually able to track these drug dealers through different sites on the dark web, such as Hansa Market and Dream Market. They found their location and raided them shortly thereafter, managing to catch them red handed.

But the operation didn't stop there – the police actually kept it going for a few more weeks, in the hopes of catching a few buyers in the act. No word on how many perpetrators they managed to snag as a result, but more than likely, a few people ended up getting arrested.

No doubt this may scare off a few potential drug dealers from listing their products on the dark web, although some will likely continue using fake cartridges to ship them out of.

But, yeah, the next time you feel like getting a video game cartridge, maybe just pay a visit to your local game store, instead of, say, grabbing it overseas. I mean, we still shudder at the thought that there's a spider inside. NOPE.