Photo: DEA
Unless it pulls a Volkswagen, Uber is likely to make it into the books pretty soon in a chapter called "How to Ruin a Multi-Billion Dollar Company in Just a Few Simple Steps."
The ride-hailing company has seen scandal after scandal lately, culminating with the departure of its CEO and the man who started it all, Travis Kalanick. It's safe to say, then, that Uber is not going through the best phase of its life.
But just when it might have thought it had hit rock bottom and there's nowhere else left to go but up, a sinkhole opens and drags the company even further down. This time, though, there was nothing anyone could have done.
The DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration, for those who don't live in the U.S. and don't watch American movies or TV series) discovered a drug mill in a Central Park West apartment in New York City which resulted in the arrest of four men, one of which was reportedly a Uber driver.
But that's not the main thing that dragged the ride-hailing service into this story. No. It was the "1,100 individual dose glassine envelopes that had been filled with powder and stamped with the brand name 'UBER'" (via Gothamist.com).
According to the DEA, the drugs they found on two of the suspects and in the apartment have a street value of at least $3 million, but it could be a lot more depending on the ratio between fentanyl and heroin. The drugs are currently being evaluated by a DEA lab.
Drugs bearing the names and logos of famous brands aren't something new, however. This catch included stamps with other well-known businesses such as McDonald's, Animal Planet or Panda Express, but other brands were targeted in the past as well. Apple, Bitcoin, Instagram, Facebook or Whatsapp all had their logos used on illegal substances, and you might even come across some Tesla ecstasy pills over in Europe.
With an already shaky image, Uber didn't need any of this, but to be fair to the drug dealers, their efforts will most likely prove to be nowhere near as destructive as the stunts pulled by the company's head figures. No point in placing the blame elsewhere.
But just when it might have thought it had hit rock bottom and there's nowhere else left to go but up, a sinkhole opens and drags the company even further down. This time, though, there was nothing anyone could have done.
The DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration, for those who don't live in the U.S. and don't watch American movies or TV series) discovered a drug mill in a Central Park West apartment in New York City which resulted in the arrest of four men, one of which was reportedly a Uber driver.
But that's not the main thing that dragged the ride-hailing service into this story. No. It was the "1,100 individual dose glassine envelopes that had been filled with powder and stamped with the brand name 'UBER'" (via Gothamist.com).
According to the DEA, the drugs they found on two of the suspects and in the apartment have a street value of at least $3 million, but it could be a lot more depending on the ratio between fentanyl and heroin. The drugs are currently being evaluated by a DEA lab.
Drugs bearing the names and logos of famous brands aren't something new, however. This catch included stamps with other well-known businesses such as McDonald's, Animal Planet or Panda Express, but other brands were targeted in the past as well. Apple, Bitcoin, Instagram, Facebook or Whatsapp all had their logos used on illegal substances, and you might even come across some Tesla ecstasy pills over in Europe.
With an already shaky image, Uber didn't need any of this, but to be fair to the drug dealers, their efforts will most likely prove to be nowhere near as destructive as the stunts pulled by the company's head figures. No point in placing the blame elsewhere.
Google News