Kevin Dellicker for U.S. Congress

Fentanyl has become the most dangerous drug in the United States, and China is the primary source of the fentanyl supply chain.

The Issue:

In the late 2010s, Chinese chemical and pharmaceutical companies produced fentanyl and delivered it to Americans in small shipments via commercial carriers. The U.S. cracked down on this illicit trade, but Chinese companies got around the barriers by shipping precursor chemicals to Mexico, where drug cartels mix it together and smuggle it across the border. According to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, China remains the primary country of origin for illegal fentanyl in the U.S. (source).

How It Affects Us:

Fentanyl killed 64,000 Americans last year, more than the number of American soldiers killed in the Vietnam War (source). And it kills locally. According to Lehigh County Coroner Eric Minnich, more than half of all drug overdose deaths are attributed to the substance. He says, “I am kind of surprised when I get the toxicology back and I don’t see fentanyl.”

What Kevin Will Do About It:

Chinese criminal organizations and chemical companies partnering Mexican drug cartels are killing our children. We must:

• Prohibit Chinese companies that produce fentanyl components from doing business with Americans.
• Prevent Mexican and Chinese individuals and institutions from using the international banking system to conduct drug transactions.
• Help American companies better identify and counter drug related money laundering and shipping operations.
• Control the southern border.

https://www.mcall.com/news/pennsylvania/capitol-ideas/mc-nws-pa-fentanyl-state-deaths-20210819-jp2bpsazkrfxbkxfu55aku5fum-story.html