The Cayo Perico Heist

Updated 30 October 2026 · Fan site. Not affiliated with Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive.

The Cayo Perico Heist is a GTA Online heist released on 15 December 2020. Players raid the private Caribbean island of the drug lord Juan "El Rubio" Strickler, planning from a Kosatka submarine. It was the first GTA Online heist that can be played alone from start to finish, and it offers more ways in and out than any heist before it.

What is the Cayo Perico Heist?

The Cayo Perico Heist is the update and heist that Rockstar added to GTA Online on 15 December 2020, according to Wikipedia. It takes players away from Los Santos to an island in the Caribbean held by a drug cartel. Wikipedia presents it as the next step forward for heist gameplay, with more approaches than earlier jobs. Our GTA heists page sets it alongside the other Online heists.

Who is El Rubio?

The target is Juan Strickler, known as El Rubio. Wikipedia describes him as the main supplier of the Madrazo Cartel, the family business of Martin Madrazo from Grand Theft Auto V. GTA Wiki says the job comes to the player through Miguel Madrazo, Martin's son, who first appears at a club called The Music Locker and explains that Strickler keeps a private island off the coast of Colombia. GTA Wiki adds that Strickler made the island the centre of his criminal empire.

Where is Cayo Perico?

Cayo Perico is a new island built for this update, and it is not part of the GTA V story mode. GTA Wiki places El Rubio's clifftop compound in the south of the island, with an airstrip and two docks (the North Dock and the Main Dock) that serve as ways in and out. It also lists a communications tower, crop fields, a solar farm, a power station and a beach party area. The island was first teased in an "El Rubio Dossier" during the Los Santos Summer Special in 2020. Outside the heist, GTA Wiki says it can only be reached through missions and limited scripted trips, such as a beach party reached from the airport.

What is the Kosatka submarine?

The heist is planned from the Kosatka, a large military submarine bought from the in-game Warstock Cache & Carry website. Wikipedia notes that owning a submarine is required. A helmsman called Pavel crews it and is the player's main partner on the job. GTA Wiki says the planning table sits on the bridge, and the submarine can be upgraded with extras such as a sonar station, guided missiles and a Sparrow helicopter kept in its moon pool. The Kosatka can also be used to reach the island in the finale.

How does the Cayo Perico Heist work?

The job follows the usual three stages: scouting, preparation and the finale. GTA Wiki says the host must be running a CEO or VIP organisation or a motorcycle club, the same status used by GTA Online businesses. On the first run, Rockstar covers the setup cost once the Kosatka is bought. Later runs need an upfront fee, which GTA Wiki gives as $100,000 as of 27 September 2023.

Scouting is a stealth mission on the island. GTA Wiki explains that the first visit has the player arrive as part of a DJ's touring team at El Rubio's beach party, while repeat visits use a smuggler cover story. Open combat is not allowed. Prep missions then gather the approach vehicle, equipment and weapons. Some optional preps weaken the island's defences, and support crew can be paid for help such as sniper cover or a recon drone. Rival organisations and motorcycle clubs in the same session can steal prep equipment.

The stages above summarise GTA Wiki's account. In the finale the host chooses the approach vehicle, the entry and escape points and the time of day, though plans can change mid-heist. The compound is guarded by armed staff, gunboats, an attack helicopter and anti-aircraft defences.

What can you steal on Cayo Perico?

The main prize sits in a vault under the compound. On the first run it is a set of files on the Madrazo family, and GTA Wiki says repeat runs swap in other primary targets. Players can also fill their bags with secondary loot found around the compound and the island, including artwork, gold, cocaine, drug money and buried treasure chests. Some of the best secondary loot is behind doors that need a second player, which is why solo runs tend to pay less.

We have not listed take-home figures. Online payouts are adjusted often, and the amounts in guides go out of date quickly. GTA Wiki does list fixed bonus awards, for example for finishing the heist without alerting guards or on Hard difficulty without dying.

Can you do the Cayo Perico Heist solo?

Yes. Wikipedia says it can be finished alone from start to finish, which set it apart from earlier heists such as The Diamond Casino Heist, whose finale needs at least two players. GTA Wiki confirms that scouting, prep and the finale all work solo, and there are awards for both a one-player and a four-player completion.