Key Takeaways:
– The U.S. Treasury Department imposed penalties against the Gulf drug cartel for facilitating illegal fishing.
– The cartel exploits fishing boats to aid in drug trafficking and human smuggling.
– Red snappers caught en route are sold on the black market, fetching significant profits.
– The U.S. accuses Mexico of not doing enough to prevent illicit fishing, causing harmful effects to marine life and economic loss.
– The cartel targets species under strict preservation measures, taking advantage of their abundance in U.S. waters.
Mexican Drug Cartel Involved in Illicit Fishing Trade
Recent investigations have unveiled the unlikely culprits behind illegal red snapper fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. The participants in this lucrative illegal trade are none other than the members of a Mexican drug cartel, leading to significant international outrage.
The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against the Gulf cartel on Tuesday, marking a significant step towards mitigating these illegal activities. The cartel is noted to operate predominantly in Reynosa and Matamoros, border cities directly across from McAllen and Brownsville, Texas.
Audacious Means for Cartel Operations
The marriage of commercial fishing and illegal cartel businesses, though peculiar at first sight, presents a strategy that serves both operations. The department disclosed that the cartel leverages fishing boats to foster drug trafficking and migrant smuggling. During these operations, the boats frequently catch vast amounts of red snapper, a commercially valuable but threatened species.
Despite the risk, these fishing vessels commonly set sail from Playa Bagdad, east of Matamoros on the Gulf coast. However, the damage does not stop at illegal fishing and smuggling. The cartel adds to the injury by selling their catch in Mexican border cities, often further transported into Texas for resale in the U.S. market.
A Blow to Law-Abiding Fishermen
This practice contrasts sharply with the constraints placed on U.S. fishermen, required to adhere to rigid seasonal limits or closures designed to protect fish populations. The cartel takes advantage of the abundance of red snapper and shark species in U.S. waters, caused by strict protective measures.
The offenders bring their catch back to base camps in Mexico, where the product is usually sold and frequently exported into the U.S. This activity nets millions a year for the camp operators, simultaneously leading to the inadvertent but inevitable death of other marine species.
U.S. Tightens the Noose on Cartels
The severe nature of the illegal fishing problem led to the 2022 U.S. government prohibition on Mexican fishing vessels entering U.S. ports on the Gulf of Mexico. They argued that Mexico had not made sufficient efforts to prevent its boats from illegally fishing in U.S. waters.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) affirms that U.S. restrictions on Mexican fishing boats remain steadfast. In recent months, the Treasury has enforced sanctions on cartels for a range of activities, from drug trafficking to fuel theft to fraudulent timeshare scams.
Time for Consequences
The Treasury announced the designation of five individuals associated with the Gulf cartel for illegal fishing. Their U.S. assets have been blocked under Tuesday’s sanctions.
The recent findings affirm that cartels’ involvement in illegal fishing is not new. Authorities believe multiple drug cartels are participating in the prohibited gillnet fishing for totoaba in the Gulf of California. The activity poses a substantial threat to the vaquita marina, recognized as the world’s most endangered porpoise.
Overall, the uncovering of the Gulf cartel’s complex operation illustrates the complex and multifaceted nature of modern crime. Given the significant ecological and economic harm caused by these actions, it is critical for multinational cooperation to help cut these fishermen-turned-smugglers’ nets.