Tourists in Colombia warned of a series of deadly robberies linked to Tinder

Tu Ger Xiong, a comedian and activist from Minnesota, was found dead on the outskirts of Medellin last month

Police have since made four arrests people blamed for his death, including a woman who is believed to have appeared in a video Mr. Xiong posted on social media that appears to show the couple on a date together.

However, the authorities believe in his version, and others, like his case. this in Medellin may be just the tip of the iceberg, as it is believed that some victims were too embarrassed to report being scammed by local women, including sex workers.

A 'tax' for wealthy tourists

‌A private Facebook group called “Victims of Scopolamine in Colombia & Alerts has 3,800 members.

‌Some criminals view the robberies as a tax on wealthy tourists who they believe visit Colombia to prey on local women, according to local criminologists.

‌ The US Embassy said in a statement that the spate of recent deaths appears to be appears to be “associated with either an involuntary drug overdose or a suspected homicide.”

‌They urged tourists not to resist if they were being pursued by criminals.

‌In the 1990s, Colombia was capital of the world for murder and kidnapping. Medellin, the hometown of notorious late drug lord Pablo Escobar, has become the epicenter of a crime wave.

‌The security situation has improved since the Colombian government reached a peace deal with FARC rebels in 2016, ushering in tourism. boom that has seen Medellin welcome an influx of visitors and digital nomads.

‌But kidnapping remains a favorite tactic of criminals.

‌Police recorded nearly 290 kidnappings in the country last year, the most high since then. 2014, among those abducted is the father of Liverpool and Colombia football player Luis Diaz.