(NewsNation) — A cartel made up of Chinese and Mexican nationals is taking a new route to smuggle drugs and trade on parts from an endangered species.
A new memo from Canada’s border service revealed a group known as the Dragon Cartel, where members are trading the endangered totoaba fish for the precursor chemicals used to make fentanyl.
The fish is an endangered species that swims in the Gulf of California. Mexican cartels discovered there is a demand for the totoaba fish on the black market in Asia for its swim bladder.
One kilogram of totoaba swim bladder is worth $80,000 on the black market, which has led to the fish becoming known as the “cocaine of the sea.”
The swim bladders are used in traditional cuisine, traditional Chinese medicine and even in cosmetics.
According to the memo, west coast ports are used to exchange the goods, with the port of Vancouver particularly vulnerable to the trade.
Officials are fighting an uphill battle when it comes to cracking down on the totoaba trade.
One reason for that is the volume of trade through Vancouver; another is it is extremely difficult to identify illegally traded bladders among other legal fish products.
Totoaba bladders are often smuggled alongside frozen fish and squid and transported by crews in backpacks.
Criminal networks are now expanding their methods to include smuggling them in gasoline tanks, spare tires, or hidden vehicle compartments.
Experts say that officials do not have the infrastructure to detect and crack down on the totoaba bladders.
They also say that fentanyl coming through the port largely flows to Mexico, with only a small portion remaining in Canada.
