Latest news with #MexicanCartels
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Drug more deadly than fentanyl is quietly killing hundreds
A relatively unknown and dangerous opioid is killing hundreds as authorities scramble to warn people about the drug, a new report reveals. Synthetic opioids known as nitazenes, which are stronger than fentanyl and mostly come from China, have killed hundreds of people in Europe, The Wall Street Journal reports. Just trace amounts of the drug can trigger a fatal overdose. Street nitazenes can be up to 250 times as potent as heroin, and up to five times as strong as fentanyl, the Journal reports. The opioid has been found mixed into several drugs, including heroin, counterfeit painkillers and anxiety medication, according to the outlet. Nitazenes are now spreading amid the ongoing opioid crisis in the U.S. While the crisis has affected the entire nation, it has particularly impacted West Virginia and other Appalachian communities. More than 800,000 people died from opioid overdoses in the U.S. between 1999 and 2023, according to the CDC. 'Synthetic opioids in the U.S. have not been driven by demand, they have been driven wholesale by supply,' Vanda Felbab-Brown, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, told the Journal . 'If large criminal groups such as Albanian mafia groups, Turkish criminal groups or Italian or Mexican groups get into supplying nitazenes to Europe on a large scale, we can anticipate a massive public healthcare catastrophe.' Drug cartels in Mexico could 'easily' use their existing contacts in China-based suppliers to bring the opioids into the U.S., the Drug Enforcement Administration warned last year. However, at the time of the report, Mexican authorities had not seized any nitazene or nitazene-fentanyl mixtures in Mexico. Only 12 percent of nitazene exhibits analyzed by the DEA 'came from Southwest Border states,' the report said. U.S. authorities reported last year that they found nitazenes in at least 4,300 drug seizures since 2019, according to the Journal. Identifying the drug can be difficult, given that many overdose toxicology tests don't include nitazenes, the Journal reports. As a result, nitazenes are likely much more prevalent than official numbers might suggest, and the current death toll is likely an undercount. Nitazenes have never been approved for medical use and were first developed in Switzerland in the 1950s as an alternative to morphine, according to a September 2024 report by the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission. The commission operates under the Organization of American States, a group of 34 nations that includes the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The opioids 'emerged more widely on the illicit drug market in Europe' in 2019, the commission said. Since then, the drugs have been identified on nearly every continent. Anne Jacques of North Wales told the Journal her son died of a nitazene overdose in 2023, explaining she felt like he had been 'murdered.' Jacques was initially told that her son, a healthy opera singer, died of cardiac arrest. When police found Xanax tablets in his room and evidence on his phone that he may have purchased the pills illegally, she researched drug contaminants and asked a coroner to test for nitazene. Seven months after her son's death, police told Jacques her son's pills had been contaminated with the opioid, the Journal reports. 'I basically had to investigate my own son's death,' Jacques said. Nitazenes could be the 'biggest public health crisis for people who use drugs in the U.K. since the AIDS crisis in the 1980s,' Vicki Markiewicz, executive director for the drug and alcohol treatment organization Change Grow Live, told the Journal.
Fox News
18-07-2025
- Health
- Fox News
PAM BONDI & ROBERT MURPHY: Team Trump is fighting deadly drug cartels to save American lives
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and its Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are dedicated to upholding the rule of law and championing the safety of the American people against deadly, illegal drugs. No drug continues to pose a greater threat to our nation than fentanyl — a synthetic opioid so powerful, deadly and pervasive that it is the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45. But we cannot ignore the growing supply of highly addictive and dangerous methamphetamine. The Mexican cartels have created a vast global supply chain, sourcing precursor chemicals from countries like China, manufacturing fentanyl and methamphetamine in secret labs in Mexico, and smuggling them across the border into the United States. These drugs are flooding our communities, and their impact is catastrophic. Current CDC data estimates that 82,000 Americans died from drug overdoses last year — nearly 49,000 from fentanyl and more than 30,000 from psychostimulants, including meth. While we've seen a decline in overdose deaths in recent months, we cannot ignore the threat of fentanyl, often found in other drugs and fake pills. The cartels are also producing methamphetamine pills made to look like Adderall or MDMA, drugs popular with young adults. Fentanyl and methamphetamine together are toxic evidence that the cartels have no value for human life. DEA's mission is clear, and it is confronting this crisis head on. DEA is second to none at developing, interpreting and acting on intelligence. In full coordination, the DOJ is fully committed to prosecuting criminals who are in possession of these dangerous and deadly drugs — including any fentanyl-related substance — to the fullest extent of the law. Under President Donald J. Trump's leadership, the DOJ and the DEA are executing Operation Take Back America, an aggressive campaign to dismantle the criminal organizations responsible for trafficking fentanyl and other synthetic opioids — an unprecedented move to take back our communities and save American lives. Since January 20, DEA has seized over 44 million fentanyl pills and 4,500 pounds of fentanyl powder, representing over 180 million lethal doses and over 68,000 pounds of methamphetamine. Every seizure is a life saved. Every arrest removes a trafficker from the chain of distribution. Every operation sends a message: the United States will not tolerate this attack on its citizens. Our campaign is lawful, methodical and relentless. The DEA operates under a robust framework of legal authorities designed to confront the full spectrum of drug-related crimes. Title 21 authorizes the federal prosecution of drug manufacturers and distributors. RICO statutes allow us to dismantle criminal enterprises. Asset forfeiture laws allow us to strip traffickers of the financial lifeblood of their operations. International extradition agreements ensure that no foreign-based trafficker is beyond the reach of American justice. Each tool is used in coordination with U.S. Attorneys' Offices, in full compliance with constitutional protections and federal evidentiary standards. To name just a few of the recent fentanyl and methamphetamine seizures in the country: Our campaign is lawful, methodical and relentless. The DEA operates under a robust framework of legal authorities designed to confront the full spectrum of drug-related crimes. Each of these operations highlights the critical need to continue attacking the drug supply chain at every level. Our strategy is not limited to arrests and seizures. On July 16, Trump signed the HALT Fentanyl Act into law, which will strengthen penalties for fentanyl dealers and prevent chemists from creating new synthetic compounds to circumvent prosecution. Under Trump's direction, the administration has revitalized interagency coordination. The DOJ and the DEA are working shoulder-to-shoulder with the United States Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and federal prosecutors to ensure unified case development from interdiction to indictment. The president has also authorized the use of diplomatic pressure, economic sanctions and trade penalties to hold foreign nations accountable for the chemicals fueling this crisis. The DOJ is also prioritizing enhanced penalties for trafficking offenses involving serious bodily injury or death. We are prosecuting not just the dealers but the enablers, those who launder money, provide logistical support, or serve as brokers between chemical suppliers and cartels. If you profit from this poison, you will face the full force of American justice. As a result of Trump's designation of eight major cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, we are now deploying new tools and charging traffickers with material support to terrorism, a charge that carries up to life in prison. Lining the walls at DEA Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, are thousands of faces of those lost to fentanyl. These faces are a stark reminder of why we do this work. Each name, each story fuels our resolve to eliminate these cartels and criminal networks and protect our communities. President Trump has made it abundantly clear: the sovereignty of our nation begins with secure borders and safe communities. The era of open borders and drugs flowing across them is over. The federal government is back on offense. Our strategy is not limited to arrests and seizures. On July 16, Trump signed the HALT Fentanyl Act into law, which will strengthen penalties for fentanyl dealers and prevent chemists from creating new synthetic compounds to circumvent prosecution. The American people deserve a justice system that protects their families from the violence of drug trafficking and the horror of overdose death. That is what the DEA and DOJ are delivering. We will not rest until the cartels are crippled, their supply chain is broken and this epidemic has ended. This is a fight for our country, and we intend to win it. Robert Murphy is the acting administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, leading a workforce of nearly 9,000 public servants whose important work protects Americans from the dangers and violence associated with drug trafficking.
Daily Mail
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Trump claims China will soon execute fentanyl dealers
President Donald Trump said China would soon start executing fentanyl dealers, as he inked legislation he said would deal a 'righteous blow' to premature deaths in the U.S. The president signed new legislation to stiffen jail penalties for fentanyl traffickers amid the drug overdose epidemic that took over 48,000 American lives last year. China sends deadly synthetic opioid chemicals to Mexican cartels, who then press them into pills or add them in powder form to heroin and cocaine. Trump again vowed to take action while standing next to 'angel families' who have lost loved ones. 'I think we're going to work it out so that China is going to end up going from that to giving the death penalty to the people that create this fentanyl and send it into our country,' Trump said. He said China would take the action soon even as the countries work through a trade clash after Trump imposed sanctions. 'I have a very good relationship with President Xi of China, but I imposed a 20 percent tariff on China because of the fentanyl. And I call it a penalty. It's a penalty because China delivers much of the fentanyl,' Trump said. Trump said it would have happened sooner were it not for the 2020 election , which he again called 'rigged' despite losing to Joe Biden by 7 million votes. 'I believe that we would have had that deal long time ago. I shook hands with him, and that we had a rigged election, and we had somebody else come in and they didn't know anything about a deal for the death penalty,' Trump said, before referencing the China move. 'I believe that's going to happen soon,' he added. China already imposes the death penalty for certain drug offenses . The country has long been criticized for denying defendants' rights and transparency in its judicial system, with Amnesty International saying it executes thousands of people each year without saying how many. An Amnesty International report from April showed a 32 percent increase in executions worldwide during 2024, with 'thousands' in China. Trump himself has talked about using the death penalty to go after drug dealers in the U.S., and praised the mandatory minimum jail sentences that are part of the legislation he signed to permanently add fentanyl to Schedule 1 under the Controlled Substances Act. The bill he signed, the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act, got bipartisan support in Congress, although Trump signaled out Republican backers at the White House. 'It's a big deal, as they will tell you – meaning anyone caught trafficking these illicit poisons will be punished with a mandatory 10 year minimum sentence in prison. We'll be getting the drug dealers, pushers and peddlers off our street,' Trump said. After mentioning the China death penalty, Trump continued: 'I believe that's going to happen soon, but as of today, all fentanyl related substances will be banned forever, and those who traffic in these deadly poisons will be put behind bars for a very long period of time.' Back in February, Trump referenced the death penalty conversation he says he had with Xi while speaking to a group of governors. 'If you notice that every country that has the death penalty has no drug problem,' Trump said.
Daily Mail
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Trump says China will start executing fentanyl dealers 'soon' as he vows revenge for victims
President Donald Trump said China would soon start executing fentanyl dealers, as he inked legislation he said would deal a 'righteous blow' to premature deaths in the U.S. The president signed new legislation to stiffen jail penalties for fentanyl traffickers amid the drug overdose epidemic that took over 48,000 American lives last year. China sends deadly synthetic opioid chemicals to Mexican cartels, who then press them into pills or add them in powder form to heroin and cocaine. Trump again vowed to take action while standing next to 'angel families' who have lost loved ones. 'I think we're going to work it out so that China is going to end up going from that to giving the death penalty to the people that create this fentanyl and send it into our country,' Trump said. He said China would take the action soon even as the countries work through a trade clash after Trump imposed sanctions. 'I have a very good relationship with President Xi of China, but I imposed a 20 percent tariff on China because of the fentanyl. And I call it a penalty. It's a penalty because China delivers much of the fentanyl,' Trump said. Trump said it would have happened sooner were it not for the 2020 election, which he again called 'rigged' despite losing to Joe Biden by 7 million votes. 'I believe that we would have had that deal long time ago. I shook hands with him, and that we had a rigged election, and we had somebody else come in and they didn't know anything about a deal for the death penalty,' Trump said, before referencing the China move. 'I believe that's going to happen soon,' he added. China already imposes the death penalty for certain drug offenses. The country has long been criticized for denying defendants' rights and transparency in its judicial system, with Amnesty International saying it executes thousands of people each year without saying how many. An Amnesty International report from April showed a 32 percent increase in executions worldwide during 2024, with 'thousands' in China. Trump himself has talked about using the death penalty to go after drug dealers in the U.S., and praised the mandatory minimum jail sentences that are part of the legislation he signed to permanently add fentanyl to Schedule 1 under the Controlled Substances Act. The bill he signed, the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act, got bipartisan support in Congress, although Trump signaled out Republican backers at the White House. 'It's a big deal, as they will tell you – meaning anyone caught trafficking these illicit poisons will be punished with a mandatory 10 year minimum sentence in prison. We'll be getting the drug dealers, pushers and peddlers off our street,' Trump said. After mentioning the China death penalty, Trump continued: 'I believe that's going to happen soon, but as of today, all fentanyl related substances will be banned forever, and those who traffic in these deadly poisons will be put behind bars for a very long period of time.' Jackie Siegel and U.S President Donald Trump look on the day he signs the HALT Fentanyl Act, in the East Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 16, 2025. Speakers including Siegel told tragic stories of losing family members to drugs Back in February, Trump referenced the death penalty conversation he says he had with Xi while speaking to a group of governors. 'If you notice that every country that has the death penalty has no drug problem,' Trump said. He also told states to take their own hardline actions. 'Your states have the right to go death penalty also for drug dealers,' Trump said. 'But only do that if you want to get rid of drugs.' It came in the same meeting where he clashed with Maine Gov. Janet Mills over transgender sports issues. 'We'll see you in court,' she told him.
Fox News
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Cartel drones pose 'dangerous' drug trafficking risk in border state, official warns
As reported crossings have dropped dramatically at the border, there is still work to be done on matters of stopping drugs from making their way into the United States, especially in the border state of Arizona, a top state official says. One of the ways that cartels transport drugs is by using drones, a tactic that gained attention after bipartisan legislation signed in the Grand Canyon State gave law enforcement the power to shoot down the small aircraft. "I think what has changed is that we have gotten more control over people crossing over the border, but unfortunately what has not changed is we still have a huge amount of fentanyl that is coming across our border here in Arizona, and that is being flown over the by the Mexican drug cartels with drones," Democratic Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said. "So, one of the things as the attorney general of Arizona that I've done is we got a law passed that allows local law enforcement and our office to shoot those drones out of the sky or to disable them with drone jammers. And that's something that's long overdue. There's a huge number of these drone incursions inside the United States, sometimes as far as 50 miles inside of Arizona, and that is unacceptable," she continued. "It is shocking, the number of drones that are coming inside Arizona. It's very, very dangerous. Obviously, right now, they are delivering payloads of fentanyl. But drones are capable of delivering almost anything, as we have seen in Ukraine," she said. Mayes has disagreed with various elements of the Trump administration's border and immigration policies. For example, she does not support the masking of ICE agents "except under extreme circumstances," as it causes distrust. On matters of drug enforcement, she asked for 50 or more Drug Enforcement Agency personnel and criticized a proposed 35% cut at the federal level to the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. "I need the federal government to step up to the plate and to bring us more resources to deal with these cartels as they evolve," she said. In response to Mayes' request for more DEA agents, the agency referred to Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget's comments on "America Reports" in February. "We are committed to putting more people there. We are adding more people as we speak, so Phoenix has always been one of the top DEA domestic offices and regions that we're focused on. We see it in the numbers," he said at the time. While there are political disagreements on the Trump administration's border policies, some Republicans have expressed that the overall situation has significantly improved. "What I can tell you is that looking at the [beginning of] 2025 through June, we're seeing a reduction of fentanyl cases coming to our office," Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, a Republican, said. Maricopa County is a highly populated county that includes Phoenix in the suburbs. "We know that in 2022 to 2023, over half of the fentanyl seized — and this is according to DEA — was seized in Arizona. So this is the main distribution point for the entire country," Mitchell said, adding that the lethality of the pills has increased in recent years. "So those border efforts by President Trump and his administration to get control over that border are vital to keeping Americans safe and alive, frankly," she continued. When it comes to crossings, Yuma Mayor Douglas Nicholls explained that things are now more "peaceful" in the region. Yuma is just minutes from the border, and the city faced a strain on resources during the border crisis, including at its hospital, and they're still hoping to see reimbursement at some point. "The cartel activity has remained pretty much south of the border, and it pretty much always has. There's no real incursion into our community, and we did not see an increase in crime over the last five years. We've actually seen a decrease in the last couple of years," Nicholls noted. "So there's no direct impact here. But what has happened is, in Mexico, there's been a big shift in the cartels' organization as there's been arrests... The leadership levels have been competed for by people within the cartel organizations," he continued. "That's caused a lot of violence right across the border, so there are those concerns which have an impact on us. From the perspective of people coming here to access the border, if they're not crossing anymore, that impacts a lot our local economy, so from that perspective, that's really been the only big impact." "But the interdiction of drugs that come through our community — fentanyl, and all of them, cocaine and everything — to me, that's a bigger issue countrywide because it doesn't just stop here, it continues to move through our community," the mayor added. "Under President Trump, the southern border is more secure than it has ever been," said White House spokesperson Liz Huston. "The Trump Administration is restoring law and order, and dangerous cartel criminals are being removed from our streets. Protecting the American people is our top priority — and criminals now know if they cross our border, they will face the full force of the United States Justice System."
