GTA Online: A beginner's guide for Smuggler’s Run missions

The Smuggler's Run missions were added to GTA Online back in 2017 and the feature will be refreshed in the December 2022 update.

The payout for Smugglers Run missions will be tripled permanently and this will not be as a part of a 3x bonus GTA$ and RP mission. Players will get to reap the benefits of increased payouts, making this method a really good way to earn money in the game.

Considering this, many who have recently joined GTA Online have the opportunity to check out the missions and earn a good amount of money while they are at it. These missions will have players work alongside Ron Jakowski to smuggle contraband across the map to earn a quick buck.

Rockstar Games' official description has this to say about Smuggler's Run missions:

“With a name that’s a nod to an early classic from the Rockstar Games catalog, Smuggler’s Run opens up the air corridors above Los Santos and Blaine County, providing new business opportunities while introducing a range of planes, choppers and even ultralights as highly viable options for transporting criminal cargo across the state – simultaneously opening up some creative new methods of dispatching any rival gangs along the way.” — Rockstar Newswire.

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How to start a Smuggler's Run mission in GTA Online

Just like most businesses in GTA Online, players will have to invest in buying a new property. Before they can get started on the Smuggler's Run missions, they will need to purchase a hangar.

To start the missions, gamers will need to activate the Air-Freight business, which is unlocked after purchasing a hangar in GTA Online. They will need to access the Free Trade Shipping Co. software on the computer to source and sell cargo.

Before players can get to the main quest, they will need to complete a setup. Once that is done, they can then begin sourcing cargo that will then be sold in the selling missions.

Once players purchase the property, they must follow the steps below:

1. Visit the hangar.
2. Go to the laptop in the building.
3. Select Source on the Free Trade Shipping Co page.
4. Select the product that you want to obtain.
5. Perform the tasks to complete sourcing the product.
6. Visit the laptop in the hangar to check the product and sell it via the Sell page on the screen.

For the mission, players need to locate the selected product on the map and bring it back to the hangar. There are eight different cargo that players can source for these missions. The challenge also includes stealing the product and safely bringing it back to the hangar to store it.

During the mission, players often face NPCs and other gamers trying to snatch the goods from them. Failing to source the product will require them to start from scratch.

Once players are done sourcing, they are required to sell their goods in order to make money. These missions invole dropping the product off safely with minimal damage done. Once the sale is complete, they will receive a payout for completing the job.

Players receive maximum payout when the hangar is stocked with the source product. Having a full property also unlocks the trade price for a few vehicles in GTA Online.