The United States is trying to end the fentanyl crisis that has caused a record number of deaths in the country. The Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on 25 legal and other individuals and companies it believes are responsible for illegal supply chains in China. American officials have accused the Asian giant’s consortium of being behind the latest wave of deaths linked to fentanyl, the synthetic opioid at the center of the drug crisis in the United States.
A more powerful painkiller than heroin, which can be prescribed by doctors but also used as an injectable or smokeable drug, it is causing a veritable carnage among Americans ages 18 to 49. More than 105,000 people died of overdoses in the 12 months to January this year; that number is more than double that of a decade ago, mostly from fentanyl or fentanyl-related products. The Justice Department announced eight indictments against Chinese companies and their employees, saying they were involved in the production and distribution of synthetic opioids and “sales from chemical precursors.” One important trade route was to ship chemicals to Mexico; Here cartels were producing large quantities of pills and smuggling them across the border.
Du Changgen, a Chinese entrepreneur, was identified as the main supplier. The man allegedly supplied tons of precursors to fentanyl, ecstasy and other drugs for sale directly in Mexico and the United States. As the Times reported, the Treasury estimates that 900 kilos of this drug and other chemicals used to produce methamphetamine, such as ecstasy, can be traced to its network. “We know that this network includes cartel leaders, drug traffickers, money launderers, clandestine laboratory operators, law enforcement, weapons suppliers and chemical suppliers,” said U.S. Attorney Merrick Garland. “This global fentanyl supply chain that results in the deaths of Americans often begins with chemical companies in China.”
China’s Foreign Ministry said the roots of the crisis were in the United States. “We strongly oppose US sanctions and prosecutions of Chinese entities and individuals and the serious violations of the legitimate rights and interests of affected businesses and individuals,” a spokesperson said, assuring: “The Chinese government has cracked down on drug crimes. .and we have put in place the strictest controls on chemical precursors.”
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Source: Today IT

Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.