Meth
Introduction
Another illegal run on the island of Altis is crystal meth. Crystal meth is also one of the easiest illegal items to run when you are first becoming financially stable enough to be able to afford armaments and large enough vehicles that will increase your profits. This run is very high risk/high reward so you will want to be sure you can properly defend yourself from all threats before proceeding. This is one of the only two runs on Olympus that utilize separate ingredients before processing.
Starting The Run
Before you begin, it is a good idea to check the market value of Crystal Meth on the “Y” menu to ensure that you can maximize your profits. It is also recommended that you bring at least 3 food and water items to sustain yourself for the duration of the run. You will want to begin this criminal venture by purchasing or retrieving a truck from the garage located east of Athira. From there, drive to the ephedra field towards the North. You will have to pass by the Athira rebel outpost, so be cautious as there may be rebels with freshly bought weapons. There are three separate ingredients to be collected in order to process meth.
Gathering Ephedra
Once you arrive you will notice that the field is surrounded by a perimeter of trees and foliage that will be able to conceal you from enemies. Here you will want to judge how much inventory space you have between your backpack and your truck. Each ingredient will take up 2 inventory slots, so you will want to plan the amount you will need to collect accordingly. You will also still be in proximity of the Athira rebel outpost, so will want to remain vigilant as you collect and leave as quickly as possible to the lithium mine.
Gathering Lithium
Once you arrive, you will notice that the mine itself is housed within a large ditch. You will most likely be able to conceal your presence by placing your vehicle directly in front of the actual mine before beginning. This mine is extremely remote and not an illegal area, so you will not have to worry too much about being bothered while collecting. Once you have harvested the desired amount, you will want to begin your way to the phosphorous fields located to the West.
Gathering Phosphorous
The phosphorus field is very exposed with a lot of sand surrounding the collection area. This is also a very poor combat position, so remain extra vigilant for potential thieves. Once you have collected the final ingredient, you will head further west towards the crystal meth Lab.
Processing Meth
Once you arrive at the processor, you will notice that there is a small compound surrounded by forest which houses many accessible defensive positions. Park your vehicle in the outlying forest or under the cover of one of the houses to avoid detection. Once you are settled in and feel secure, you will want to take equal amounts of the three collected ingredients in order to turn them into crystal meth. If it is your first time processing crystal meth, you will need to buy a meth processing license for $55,000 at the NPC in order to process it. Be sure to sync your new training by hitting ESC. Fortunately, there is a bonus for processing that will incrementally give you faster progress as you process more crystal meth. You may also choose to process an entire vehicle full of raw materials into processed items. Players can select to process from a selected vehicle but multiple players may not process from the same vehicle.The time taken to process the inventory of the vehicle will be displayed and canceling processing will process all items up until the point of cancellation. Buffs gained from processing will also apply to the rate at which the vehicle is processed as well.
Selling
After you are done processing, it is best to leave the processor as quickly as possible and begin your way towards the Kavala drug dealer located on the northern side of the city. Once you are within a reasonable distance, try to scope the area out from a distance to ensure nobody is camping the dealer or already using it to sell drugs before you arrive. To interact with the drug dealer, simply use the scroll wheel, double click the number of drugs you have in your inventory to select all of the black/pure heroin in your inventory, and click sell. Deposit your money in a nearby ATM before moving on.
Payout
The average payout for a meth run using a box truck and a bergen backpack (70 meth) is $872,620 for blue crystal meth. If your gang is in control of the cartel it will allow you to hold onto 15% more of the profits, which is otherwise paid as gang tax to the controlling gang.
Run Time
Using a tier 4 box truck, the run took 45 minutes.