Overview

• Federal authorities detained three alleged members of a network that moved protected marine species through a Guadalajara-based company to markets in the United States, China and other parts of Asia.
• Searches at five properties yielded 1,569 kg of sea cucumber, 1,188 kg of shark fin, 39 kg of totoaba swim bladder, 2,227 turtles of various species and 12 casquito turtles.
• Prosecutors estimate the confiscated wildlife carried an illegal-market value of roughly 133.9 million pesos.
• The suspects were linked to process on charges of organized crime with the purpose of committing crimes against biodiversity, with preventive detention imposed by a federal court in Jalisco.
• The multagency operation involved the FGR, Navy, SSPC and Profepa in coordination with U.S. government counterparts, with arrests in Zapopan, San Pedro Tlaquepaque and Tijuana and local reports naming the detainees as Yaoqin “S,” Miguel “A” and Marco “C.”