3. Juarez, Mexico
Across the 1954 mile border where the United States meets Mexico, there exists hundreds of miles worth of fence that separates the two nations, ostensibly to curb the flow of illegal immigration and drug trafficking from Central and South America. Mexican cartels dominate said trafficking into North America, making anywhere up to $50 billion a year for their efforts. Their strength has continuously increased since the downfall of several of their Colombian counterparts in the 1990s, to the extent where they now control 90% of the cocaine entering the States. The war between the government and these cartels, which also fight one another for control of key areas, has claimed more than 100,000 lives since 2006, whilst rumoured CIA involvement also raises a few eyebrows. Such a war is a perfect backdrop for a GTA game, as the body count and destruction typically associated with the games missions would have a decent grounding in reality. Though Mexico City would be the obvious Mexican setting, owing to its status as the nations capital, the border city of Juarez would perhaps be a better choice. It has recently lost its title as the most dangerous city in the world, but that by no means makes it a safe place as conflict between the Sinaloa and Juarez cartels that maintain a presence in the area continues. The fact that the city borders the Texan settlement of El Paso could facilitate a cross-border experience, similar to Red Dead Redemption, as players could be free to jump between significant cities on both sides of the border as they partake in illegal border crossing and drug smuggling missions.