Chinese citizens stand trial for fentanyl-related charges in landmark US case
CNNJan 15
Chinese Executives Face Trial in US Fentanyl Case
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Above: An officer from the US Customs and Border Protection, Trade and Cargo Division, finds Oxycodone pills in a parcel at John F. Kennedy Airport's US Postal Service facility as part of a search for fentanyl on June 24, 2019, in New York. Image copyright: Johannes Eisele/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
Two Chinese citizens, Wang Qingzhou and Chen Yiyi, are standing trial in New York after being arrested in Fiji in June 2023, marking one of the first prosecutions of Chinese nationals for trafficking fentanyl precursor chemicals into the US.
The defendants, employed by Hubei Amarvel Biotech Co., allegedly shipped over 200 kg (440 lbs) of fentanyl-related chemical precursors to the US — enough to potentially kill 25M Americans, according to prosecutors.
The case emerged from an undercover US Drug Enforcement Agency investigation where informants arranged meetings with the defendants under the pretext of organizing multiton shipments of precursor chemicals, leading to their arrest during a meeting to formalize monthly orders.
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
China plays a pivotal role in the US fentanyl crisis as it's the primary supplier of precursor chemicals to Mexican cartels, which then synthesize and smuggle fentanyl onto US soil. These precursors are knowingly sold by Chinese brokers, often accompanied by detailed production instructions. Beijing's promise to regulate the trade has fallen far short, with the issue only growing and very few prosecutions in China. Tackling China's role is essential to save American lives.
Pro-China narrative
The US fentanyl crisis stems not from China, but primarily from its domestic issues — including overprescription, inadequate regulations, and political gridlock that hinders effective drug control policies. While China enforces stringent controls on fentanyl and has exceeded UN standards, the US deflects blame, wrongly accusing China instead of addressing its pharmaceutical industry's role and lax enforcement.
