Indictments charge Chinese companies and their employees.
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced eight indictments charging China-based companies and twelve against Chinese nationals with crimes relating to the production of fentanyl and methamphetamine, distribution of synthetic opioids, and sale of the chemicals used to make them.
The attorney general stated, “We know that the global fentanyl supply chain, which ends with the deaths of Americans, often starts with chemical companies in China. The United States government is focused on breaking apart every link in that chain, getting fentanyl out of our communities, and bringing those who put it there to justice.”
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said, “As alleged in today’s indictments, the defendants used a range of trafficking tactics to ply their deadly trade and cover their tracks – from blatant online advertising and encrypted messaging apps to fake shipping schemes and bitcoin payments.”
She expressed gratitude to Drug Enforcement Administration employees who worked undercover, and employees at DHS, the FBI, and the IRS. “This was a whole-of-government effort,” Deputy Attorney General Monaco said. “When we work together – sharing information, combining resources, and relentlessly pursuing justice – we can have a tremendous impact on those who would do us harm.”
She asked the private sector and social media companies to also step up in the fight against the fentanyl epidemic. “It must be all hands on deck,” she said.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Attorney General Garland as he heads the Justice Department’s effort to address the nation’s opioid crisis.
- For Deputy Attorney General Monaco as she collaborates with other federal agencies to reduce drug trafficking.
- For the president and members of his administration to seek God’s direction as they implement plans to combat drug overdoses.
Sources: Reuters, The Hill
