US Sanctions Chinese Entities for Allegedly Providing Precursor Chemicals for Illicit Fentanyl Production

The Treasury Department announced on April 14 it is sanctioning two entities tied to China for allegedly “supplying precursor chemicals to drug cartels in Mexico for the production of illicit fentanyl intended for U.S. markets.”
Wuhan Shuokang Biological Technology Co., Ltd. (WSBT) and Suzhou Xiaoli Pharmatech Co., Ltd. (SXPC) were sanctioned “for having engaged in, or attempted to engage in, activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to, the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production,” said the department.
China is a major supplier of fentanyl.
“Illicit fentanyl is responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans each year,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson in a statement. “Treasury, as part of the whole-of-government effort to respond to this crisis, will continue to vigorously apply our tools to prevent the transfer of precursor chemicals and machinery necessary to produce this drug.”…}