US Intelligence Report Flags India and China in Fentanyl Drug Trafficking

A US intelligence report highlights India and China as key sources of fentanyl precursors, contributing to the illicit drug's trafficking into the US. Fentanyl, a potent opioid, resulted in over 52,000 US deaths in a year. Mexico-based cartels remain major suppliers, further endangering American lives.

A US intelligence report has identified India and China as significant contributors to the supply of materials for drug traffickers. They are deemed the main source of illicit fentanyl precursor chemicals and pill pressing equipment. This revelation is part of the '2025 Annual Threat Assessment', which outlines various global threats to US security and interests.

Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids continue to be the deadliest narcotics entering the United States, responsible for causing over 52,000 American deaths in the year ending October 2024. The situation has prompted the Trump administration to clamp down on the illegal importation of fentanyl, tying the issue to tariff adjustments with certain countries.

Transnational criminal organizations, particularly those based in Mexico, are implicated as the dominant producers and suppliers of illicit drugs, including fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine destined for the US market. These cartels, enabled by state actors like China and India, are blamed for the synthetic opioid-fueled fatalities and the surge in illegal migration that strains US resources and communities.

(With inputs from agencies.)