The US Department of Justice filed eight charges Chinese companies and twelve of its leaders for crimes related to the production, distribution and import fentanyl and other opioids in the United States.

State Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the charges in a press release, which he emphasized shows that precursor elements used to produce fentanyl They mainly come from chemical companies based in China.

As explained, these companies They advertise selling these products online. use various platforms and, to evade U.S. justice, use false return addresses or fake invoices, and false labeling or packaging to disguise products, such as dog food bags.

The Attorney General cited one of these companies as an example, which sold xylazine, which is used to enhance the effects of fentanyl and thus increase its value.

Unlike other opioids, the effects of xylazine are not reversed by the overdose-reversal drug Narcan, and those who use it with fentanyl may be harmed. serious injuries that result in disfigurement or amputation.

One of the charges arose when a supervisor recommended a fentanyl precursor to a client and assured him that there will be a different name on the label to ensure a safe sale. The client turned out to be an agent of the DEA, the American drug enforcement agency.

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“We know who is responsible for poisoning the American people with fentanyl and destroying families and communities across the country,” Garland said at a news conference, adding that Drug trafficking network is behind hundreds of thousands of deaths which reaches several countries and continents.

“And we know that this global fentanyl supply chain often starts with chemical companies in China,” he added.

Fentanyl is currently the deadliest drug in the United States, 50 times more potent than heroin.

The charges stemmed from county courts in Central and South Florida.

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At the same time, the US Treasury announced sanctions against 28 individuals and legal entities associated with fentanyl traffickingand in particular the Chinese network indicted Tuesday by the Justice Department.

In particular, sanctions include 12 legal entities and 13 individuals from China and two entities and one individual from Canada that the office accused of participating in the trafficking of synthetic drug precursors such as fentanyl or methamphetamines.

As a result of the sanctions, all property of sanctioned individuals and entities is located in the United States or in the possession of U.S. persons. will be blocked, and any transaction within the United States relating to this property is prohibited. (EFE)