Murdered after date in Colombia – finds his victims on Tinder

Right swipe, match and an invitation to what they thought would be a romantic evening.

But instead the tourists have been drugged, robbed and in some cases murdered.

Foreign visitors are now being warned about using dating apps in Colombia.

In the past two months alone, eight Americans have died in Colombia when they were drugged or suspected of being murdered. Several cases are linked to the use of dating apps, according to the US Embassy in Bogotá.

Apps like Tinder and Bumble have become increasingly popular among Colombian gangs. The victims are tricked into bars, hotels or restaurants and then drugged and robbed.

“Hiring attractive women”

The problem is also believed to be more widespread than reported. Many are too ashamed to report the crimes, according to the embassy.

– The gang hires attractive women to lure men in, says Andrés Nieto, crime and security expert in Bogotá, to The Guardian.

In the past, the gangs looked for people who were on their way home after a night out, but they have become more proactive in their search, according to Nieto.

During the last quarter of 2023, thefts against foreign visitors increased by 200 percent in the country compared to the same period last year.

Drugged with “devil’s breath”

The Colombian gangs in many cases use the death drug scopolamine, also called “devil’s breath”. The drug is extracted from plants of the datura genus. The odorless substance can easily be added to someone’s drink and the person will then be unconscious for up to 24 hours with no memory of the event.

During that time, they may lead their victims to their residences to steal valuables or to ATMs to drain their accounts.

In the second largest city of Medellín, the number of tourists who died in robberies, as a result of an overdose of the drug, has increased in 2023.

Paul, 27, was found dead after the date

In November 2022, 27-year-old Canadian Paul Nguyen met a woman in a Medellin bar whom he had matched with on Tinder. During the date, he took pictures of her that he secretly sent to his friends, reports say Vice.

But that was the last they heard from him. The next day, his dead body was found next to a garbage can, several kilometers from the bar, with neither wallet nor cellphone.

In April, the woman was arrested together with two male suspected accomplices.

After the increased deaths, it now urges US Embassy in Bogotá tourists to “be vigilant” and have “an increased awareness” when they are in the country.