Part 1/12:
The Rising Tide of Oil Theft and Smuggling by CJNG: A Deep Dive into Mexico’s Dark Fleet
In recent years, the criminal landscape along the US-Mexico border has become increasingly complex, with drug trafficking still dominant but crude oil theft emerging as a lucrative and organized enterprise. The CJNG (Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación) has transitioned from traditional drug operations to a sophisticated network focused on crude oil theft and smuggling, creating what US officials now refer to as a "dark fleet"—a clandestine maritime transportation system bypassing enforcement and infrastructure vulnerabilities.