An investigation by Earth League International (ELI), an organization focused on environmental crime, has identified connections between illegal totoaba trafficking and broader criminal networks involved in human smuggling, money laundering, and corruption across Mexico, the United States, and China.
Totoaba, an endangered fish native to Mexico’s Gulf of California, is illegally harvested for its swim bladders, which command high prices in certain international markets, particularly in China. The fishing methods used to capture totoaba, including gillnets, also threaten the critically endangered vaquita porpoise, whose wild population is estimated to number fewer than 10 individuals.
Under its Operation FAKE GOLD initiative, launched in 2017, ELI has identified 23 transnational totoaba and wildlife trafficking networks and more than 260 persons of interest. Investigators report that these networks connect Mexican criminal groups with international intermediaries and buyers, with supply chains extending from coastal fishing communities through Mexican and U.S. cities, including San Diego and Los Angeles.
The investigation also suggests that the United States has become an increasingly important destination market, rather than simply a transit point for illegal products bound for Asia. In recorded conversations with undercover investigators, one suspected trafficker described selling individual totoaba swim bladders for thousands of dollars and shipping products into the United States under false cargo declarations.
According to ELI, the same intermediary claimed involvement in human smuggling and large-scale money laundering. These allegations have not been independently verified, but investigators say they illustrate how wildlife trafficking can intersect with other forms of organized crime. ELI argues that enforcement efforts must target the financial networks and intermediaries connecting illegal suppliers with buyers, rather than focusing exclusively on individual shipments or poachers.
The investigation has also contributed intelligence to U.S. and Mexican authorities. ELI reported that two international totoaba traffickers arrested near San Diego in 2023 pleaded guilty in October 2025 and were cooperating with authorities.
Why it matters: Illegal wildlife trafficking threatens vulnerable marine species and can undermine legitimate fishing communities and seafood supply chains. The findings underscore the importance of effective enforcement, traceability, and international cooperation to combat illegal seafood trade and protect the integrity of lawful fisheries.