The convergence between wildlife trafficking and other serious crimes has received increasing attention within criminological studies. The present study examines how and why Mexican organized crime groups, in particular drug cartels, have shifted their operations from drug trafficking into specific parts of the illegal trade in totoaba maw. By drawing upon literature research, semi-structured interviews and official documents of the Mexican state, empirical data indicate that Mexican organized crime groups may infiltrate into the poaching and smuggling of totoaba maw as a result of a diversification process, influenced by the social context in which these groups operate. The different interactions between actors involved along the supply chain revealed that organized crime groups adapt to new illicit markets by means of corruption and violence; by establishing alliances with local fishermen and Asian criminal networks along the trafficking chain; by using their existing routes and concealment methods. Finally, in the light of this empirical evidence that infers the complexity of crime convergence, we suggest the introduction of a National Environmental Task Force in Mexico.

在犯罪学研究中，野生动物贩运与其他严重犯罪之间的融合受到越来越多的关注。本研究调查了墨西哥有组织犯罪集团，特别是贩毒集团，如何以及为何将其活动从贩毒转移到石首鱼肚非法贸易的特定部分。通过借鉴墨西哥国家的文献研究、半结构化访谈和官方文件，实证数据表明，墨西哥有组织犯罪集团可能会由于多样化过程而渗透到石首鱼的偷猎和走私中，受其社会背景的影响。这些团体经营的。供应链中参与者之间的不同互动表明，有组织犯罪集团通过腐败和暴力来适应新的非法市场；通过与当地渔民和沿贩运链的亚洲犯罪网络建立联盟；通过使用他们现有的路线和隐藏方法。最后，根据这一推断犯罪趋同复杂性的经验证据，我们建议在墨西哥引入一个国家环境工作组。