- The U.S. Justice Department on Friday filed criminal charges against four Chinese chemical manufacturing companies and eight individuals over allegations that they illegally trafficked the chemicals used to make fentanyl. The indictments mark the first time the U.S. has sought to prosecute any of the Chinese companies responsible for manufacturing precursor chemicals used to make the painkiller. The companies at the heart of the three separate indictments are accused of selling precursor chemicals to the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, which has flooded the U.S. with the drug. Prosecutors said the companies advertised precursor chemicals on social media in Mexico and the U.S. and used false customs forms and mislabeled packages to ship the chemicals by boat and air. (Article here)
July 12, 2023
Opioid/Substance Use Disorders | Tea Leaves