The US Justice department charged on Friday four China-Based precursor Chemical manufacturing companies and eight executives and employees in global supply chain disruption.
In a statement, the Justice Department announced the arrest of two individuals and the unsealing of three indictments in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York charging China-based companies and their employees with crimes related to fentanyl production, distribution, and sales resulting from precursor chemicals.
These indictments represent the first prosecutions to charge China-based chemical manufacturing companies and nationals of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for trafficking fentanyl precursor chemicals into the United States.
Specifically, the indictments allege the defendants knowingly manufactured, marketed, sold, and supplied precursor chemicals for fentanyl production in the United States in violation of federal law.
Fentanyl is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.
Fentanyl and its analogues have devastated communities across the United States and are fueling the ongoing overdose epidemic.
Source: Kuwait News Agency