US indicts four Chinese companies for trafficking fentanyl ingredients

SGGPO June 24, 2023 18:14

This is the first time the US has charged Chinese companies with trafficking fentanyl precursors within the US, instead of shipping them to Mexico, where most of the fentanyl found in the US originates.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland holds a press conference on the disruption of the fentanyl precursor supply chain inside the US. Photo: AP

On June 2, US Attorney General Merrick Garland said the US government had charged four Chinese companies and eight individuals with trafficking chemicals used to produce fentanyl.

The companies charged in three separate lawsuits filed in federal court in New York are Hubei Amarvel Biotech Co, Anhui Rencheng Technology Co, Anhui Moker New Material Technology Co, and Hefei GSK Trade Co. The eight individuals charged are executives and employees of the four companies. Two of the Chinese were arrested as the US Justice Department stepped up its crackdown on the deadly synthetic drug.

“One of these China-based chemical companies alone shipped more than 200 kilograms of fentanyl-related precursors to the United States for the purpose of manufacturing 50 kilograms of fentanyl,” said US Attorney General Merrick Garland.

According to Bloomberg, these companies allegedly marketed the availability of these banned compounds on social media and advertised that they would apply camouflage labels to these products to avoid law enforcement intervention when shipping.

The products were shipped under labels as raw cosmetic ingredients and food additives, prosecutors said.

It is the first time the US has charged Chinese companies with trafficking fentanyl precursors within the US, rather than shipping them to Mexico, where most of the fentanyl found in the US originates.

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