‘We Are Shipping To The US’: Inside China’s Online Synthetic Drug Networks
Understanding the Risks of Purchasing Fentanyl
“We are not making progress,” says David Trone, a Democratic congressman from Maryland who co-chaired a bipartisan commission on synthetic-opioid trafficking. The Indian government should ensure that opioids are properly prescribed and supervised to reduce misuse, addiction, and overdoses. Patients receiving opioids for pain management should be screened, prescribed quantities corresponding only to their medical needs, and monitored for evidence of addiction.
Purchasing sensitive substances such as fentanyl involves a variety of legal and health risks. It is crucial to understand these risks before considering any action.
But they learned how simple it was to buy these powerful opioids online and how brash the sellers were. These sounded like sophisticated operations, offering discounts on bulk purchases and even trying to upsell the investigators to carfentanil, an even more powerful opioid. And he actually claimed to be doing some good in the world, if you can believe that. And, despite the fact that he was selling this type of fentanyl over the dark Web, his contention was that he was helping addicted users like himself maintain their addiction affordably. Fentanyl, in places like St. Louis (where I’m from) is actually starting to catch on as a drug unto itself. And it is so much stronger that longtime addicted users who don’t even get high on heroin anymore …
- Emily Feng joined NPR as the Beijing correspondent in February 2019; she reports on social trends as well as economic and political news coming out of Beijing.
- Fentanyl poses new challenges to law enforcement, in addition to first responders and health care workers.
- Brookings Institution senior fellow Vanda Felbab-Brown joins Ali Rogin to discuss.
- While we are focused on the immense human impact, the epidemic also takes a significant toll on our economy.
- Jiangsu Bangdeya New Material Technology Company, a pharmaceutical company located in Jiangsu, China, was charged in an eight-count indictment, along with Jiantong Wang, 40, a Chinese national and alleged owner and operator of Bangdeya.
- Under the deal — which is still being finalized — China would go after chemical companies to stem the flow of both fentanyl and the source material used to make the deadly synthetic opioid, according to the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the agreement.
What is Fentanyl?
“The cutoffs were temporary,” said Louise Shelley, a George Mason University professor who researches fentanyl supply chains and studied the impact of the pandemic on sales. “The Chinese have great intelligence. They know we can’t get into this stuff. That’s why they utilize those methods of communication to be able to ship drugs. They know law enforcement doesn’t have the means or the know-how or the resources to infiltrate.” The social media company MeWe said that “any group, page, or member reported on MeWe that is found to be selling any sort of illegal drug is swiftly removed by MeWe’s Trust and Safety Team and may be reported to the authorities.” “You can do this sort of business from anywhere,” said a salesperson at Crovell Biotech Co. To keep operations secure, Crovell employees said they market and export their drugs in-house from Shijiazhuang, but the riskiest part — manufacturing the synthetic compounds themselves — was done by Crovell employees “not near here.”
It is a powerful prescription drug for severe pain that’s made and sold illegally. It led to more than 37,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2019, part of a national opioid crisis that has worsened this year during the coronavirus pandemic, according to federal health authorities. In recent years, as the world drug situation evolves, fentanyl-related substances and other new drugs are widely abused in the United States and other countries, ramping up the death toll year by year and causing serious social problems. To safeguard the health, safety and well-being of all mankind, China has given full, comprehensive and selfless support to relevant countries to help address these problems, even though fentanyl does not impose serious threat in China with neither large-scale abuse nor death toll reported.
It has infiltrated most of the heroin supply here, and is up to 100 times more potent, making the risk for overdose much greater. Last year, fentanyl was present in 84 percent of drug-overdose deaths in Philadelphia and in 65 percent of overdose deaths across Pennsylvania. The Chinese government rejects as “utterly false” allegations that its domestic industries supply the raw materials for Mexican cartel synthetic opioids that feed the U.S. opioid overdose epidemic.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is used medically for pain management. However, it has gained notoriety for its misuse and the associated dangers.
“As alleged, Zambada Garcia is charged with numerous drug offenses, now including the manufacture and distribution of fentanyl, a deadly drug that was largely unheard of when he founded the Sinaloa… More than 100,000 Americans died of a drug overdose last year, and at the forefront of this crisis is fentanyl. The illicit drug has been a leading killer of young Americans for the last decade, and while the U.S. has faced drug epidemics before, what we are now encountering is truly unprecedented. In another instance, we have identified on-chain payments between vendor clusters and suppliers of pill presses and dies – equipment needed for manufacturing precursors. This indicates that some vendors are directly involved in the manufacturing and supply, as well as onward distribution.
Legality of Fentanyl
And then, the money, consumer goods, or precursors are transferred back out of China to the drug cartel in Mexico. The findings come as the head of the National Crime Agency (NCA) told the Guardian that vast majority of the synthetic opioids coming into the UK were from China. The NCA said that most synthetic drugs, including the synthetic cannabinoid spice, came into Britain from the east Asia.
Purchasing fentanyl from any source, especially outside of legal pharmaceutical channels, is illegal in many jurisdictions. Buying from China or any other country raises significant legal issues.
How to Approach International Purchases
If someone is considering how to buy fentanyl from China, several steps need to be acknowledged:
- Research Sources: Identify potential sources that claim to sell fentanyl. However, extreme caution is advised.
- Verify Legitimacy: Ensure that the source is legitimate. This can be an arduous task, and even verified sources may not be legal.
- Understand Import Laws: Research your local laws regarding importing controlled substances.
Health Risks Associated with Fentanyl
The misuse of fentanyl can lead to severe health consequences:
- Overdose
- Addiction
- Death
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I legally buy Fentanyl online?
In most cases, purchasing fentanyl online without a prescription is illegal. Always consult with legal and medical professionals.
What are the consequences of buying fentanyl from abroad?
Consequences may include legal penalties, health risks, and the possibility of receiving counterfeit or contaminated substances.
Are there safer alternatives to fentanyl for managing pain?
There are many pain management options available. Consult with a healthcare provider to explore these alternatives.
Conclusion
The question of how to buy fentanyl from China is overshadowed by the substantial risks involved. Understanding the legal and health implications is vital. Prioritizing safety and legality should always come first.