Foreign Policy: Sea Cucumbers Have Become The Shadow Currency Of Mexico's Drug Cartels

• 4.10.2026, 19:40

The price of certain varieties of this Asian delicacy can reach $3,000 per kilogram.

Some types of sea cucumbers have become a black-market currency in the criminal underworld. This is reported by Foreign Policy.

The price of certain varieties of this Asian delicacy reaches $3,000 per kilogram. Demand for them remains high in Asia, which is why they have become a convenient form of currency for underground transactions.

According to the publication, a former U.S. Border Patrol agent, Cesar Daleo, acted as an intermediary between Chinese chemical manufacturers and Mexican drug cartels: in one direction, they transported drug precursors, and in the other—as payment—a rare and protected species of sea cucumber, Isostichopus fuscus. Daleo was caught and sentenced to 30 months in prison for smuggling.

The illegal trade in this delicacy takes place not only in Mexico but also in India. Fishing for sea cucumbers is permitted in Sri Lanka, which is why sea cucumbers illegally harvested in India are smuggled there and then transported to Hong Kong or mainland China.

Sea cucumbers are a delicacy in Asian countries, especially in China. They are also considered a symbol of wealth and status.