Topic
Fentanyl, also spelled fentanil, is an opioid that is intended to be used as a pain reliever and anaesthetic, but which has become popular as a recreational drug, leading to mass addictions in the US and elsewhere. Production of fentanyl has taken place in China and other countries, but has come under scrutiny by several national governments, including Beijing, which on April 1, 2019, announced a ban on production of all variants of fentanyl.
By using the highly addictive synthetic painkiller fentanyl as an excuse to impose tariffs and sanctions against China avoids the root of the problem
- The US accused several Chinese companies of shipping machines that make counterfeit pills to the US and Mexico
- The rate of drug overdose deaths involving the synthetic opioid fentanyl more than tripled in the United States in recent years
Most popular crypto token accepted by these suppliers is bitcoin, followed by the stablecoin Tether (USDT), according to Elliptic report
Beijing had denied such trafficking was taking place, after President Lopez Obrador wrote to Chinese leader Xi Jinping asking for helping curbing the drug flows.
The worldwide operation targeting the ‘Monopoly Market’ was the latest major takedown of sales platforms for drugs and other illicit goods on the so-called dark web.
Prosecutors are going after leaders of the Mexico-based Sinaloa Cartel, as well as companies allegedly that provided precursor chemicals to the group.
In a letter to his Chinese counterpart, President Lopez Obrador also complained about interference in his country’s affairs by US lawmakers.
No delays over foreign vaccine imports other than for commercial reasons and country’s zero-Covid policy reversal well planned, says Qian Jin.
The highly-addictive, manufactured opioid is 50 times more potent than heroin, and a tiny amount can be fatal – most of the material is produced in Mexico with chemicals obtained from China, the DEA says.
New mayors Ken Sim of Vancouver and Simon Yu of Prince George both have roots in Hong Kong.
Scientists have uncovered clues that could help develop opioids that have fewer dangerous side effects compared with drugs such as fentanyl.
Diplomat says he personally intervened to try to help and Beijing has done all it can do help stop the flow of fentanyl and other drugs.
Rahul Gupta, director of national drug control policy, says Beijing stopped talks after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan in August.
China recently suspended all joint initiatives on narcotics in response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
The shipment from Canada was the largest ever detected by Australian police. Forensic officers found 11.2kg of pure fentanyl, equivalent to about 5.5 million potential lethal doses, and some 30kg of methamphetamine.
A CDC report is raising the alarm about para-fluorofentanyl and metonitazene, substances so potent some victims succumb before injecting a full syringe.
Forbes reports that the Drug Enforcement Administration order involves seven users in China and Macau, authorised by a law that allows such tracing without a full explanation of the reasons.
The US is offering up to US$5 million for the arrest of Chuen Fat Yip, accusing his company of producing anabolic steroids and of sending fentanyl ingredients around the world.
The toll over one year now surpasses that of deaths from car crashes, guns and even flu and pneumonia.
‘China remains the primary country of origin for illicit fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances,’ US-China Economic and Security Review Commission says, but rather than ship directly into US, Chinese manufacturers now send raw materials to Mexico, where cartels make the drug then deliver it across the border.
Chinese suppliers of fentanyl-precursor chemicals are not necessarily committing criminal acts despite a crackdown by Beijing on the US supply chain
Methamphetamine production has increased in the lower Mekong region and street prices per kilogram have fallen, says a regional UN representative.
The lawsuit says the retail giant created a system that turned its 5,000 in-store pharmacies into a supplier of highly addictive painkillers.
Purdue Pharma formally takes responsibility for its part in the US opioid epidemic that has contributed to hundreds of thousands of deaths.
Purdue Pharma’s marketing of addictive painkiller allegedly helped spark opioid crisis, which led to more than 200,000 US overdose deaths.
HKMA forced to intervene to weaken currency 15 times in September as hot money chases hot Chinese IPOs, secondary listings in the city.
Zhang Taotao, 32, masked the origin of the goods by shipping through multiple individuals and freight-forwarding services, says the US Treasury Department.
Known as ‘The Mallet’, Jose Antonio Yepez has been engaged in bloody struggle for supremacy against one of country’s most powerful gangs.
Golden Triangle haul was part of Asia’s biggest ever interception of illicit drugs, precursors and equipment – mostly from China, police documents show.
Beijing has some of the world’s tightest narcotics regulations, but sellers of drugs are using legitimate e-commerce channels to meet demand.
