Deluge of Chinese-Made Opioids Is Hard To Curb

The US government has long accused China of flooding the country with deadly drugs like fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin, claims the Chinese government denies.

The Chinese government allegedly provides subsidies to companies openly trafficking illicit synthetic drugs.

The US says Chinese-made opioids are fueling the worst drug crisis in the country's history. In 2022, more than 70,000 Americans died from fentanyl overdoses, reported Danny Vincent for BBC News.

A report published by the US Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party alleges that the Chinese government provides subsidies to companies openly trafficking illicit synthetic drugs.

The report found tens of thousands of online posts advertising illegal drugs and precursors.

The UK National Crime Agency (NCA) believes drug dealers are mixing synthetic opioid with street drugs such as heroin. According to the NCA, there have been more than 100 deaths linked to nitazenes over the past nine months, leading health professionals to warn that the UK may be facing a drug-related crisis.

The BBC has found hundreds of advertisements for nitazenes online. Suppliers contacted claim to send shipments through courier services, mislabeling deliveries and hiding drugs in fake packaging.

The BBC has also seen courier tracking numbers provided by online sales representatives in China, claiming to have made successful deliveries across the UK.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), China has between 40,000 and 100,000 pharmaceutical companies.

"China has long had one of the most significant pharmaceutical industries in Asia, as well as one of the largest chemical industries. And we've seen industry growth in other countries of the region," said Jeremy Douglas in late 2023, the then-regional representative of the UNODC.

According to Europol, the European police agency, China is the world's biggest manufacturer and distributor of synthetic, lab-made drugs. Some mimic the effects of traditional drugs like cannabis or cocaine. Chemists synthesize new drugs to stay one step ahead of the law.