Executive Summary
Totoaba, often referred to as “cocaine of the sea,” is an endangered fish species that lives solely in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez. Dried totoaba swim bladders, which can sell for as much as USD $10K each (or USD $80K per kilogram), are highly prized in Hong Kong and mainland China for use in food, cosmetics, and traditional medicine. However, taking, possessing, transporting, or selling totoaba is illegal. The species is protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The high demand for this illicit product has given rise to underground trafficking, and the international nature of the smuggling operations complicates efforts at law enforcement. A further challenge is traffickers’ use of social media to arrange movement and sales of the product. Some cartels are now bartering totoaba for China-produced precursor chemicals used in the production of fentanyl. We do not see indications that any of these trends will level out or reverse in the near term.
Images Sourced From: WildAID