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2w ago

U.S. Unseals Box Cutter Indictments, Seizes Record Meth Precursors, Sanctions Chinese Chemical Firm

Officials describe a coordinated push using indictments, sanctions, plus high‑seas seizures to disrupt Chinese‑to‑Mexico chemical pipelines.

A Mexican Army expert shows crystal meth paste at a clandestine laboratory near la Rumorosa town in Tecate, Baja California state, Mexico on August 28, 2018.
Officials said 13,000 barrels of precursor chemicals were seized from two ships that left Shanghai bound for Mexico
US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro called it the largest-ever seizure of meth precursor chemicals
US authorities say they are now able to track meth precursor chemicals before they reach US soil

Overview

  • A Dayton grand jury charged three Americans, about 22 Chinese nationals, and four China‑based companies in Operation Box Cutter, alleging narcotics distribution and international money laundering tied to fentanyl cutting agents.
  • Investigators interdicted 1,300 barrels holding roughly 363,000 pounds of benzyl alcohol and 334,000 pounds of N‑methylformamide that departed Shanghai for the Sinaloa Cartel, a record precursor seizure executed on the high seas and brought to the Port of Houston.
  • Officials said the chemicals could have produced about 420,000 pounds of methamphetamine worth an estimated $569 million in the Houston market, with seizure warrants enabled by the Sinaloa Cartel’s Foreign Terrorist Organization designation under terrorism forfeiture authority.
  • The FBI reported seizing enough fentanyl powder to kill 70 million people plus additional lethal pill quantities during the probe, calling it a first‑of‑its‑kind effort targeting Chinese precursor suppliers, bank networks, and cryptocurrency pipelines.
  • Treasury’s OFAC sanctioned Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Co., Ltd. and two representatives, Huang Xiaojun and Huang Zhanpeng, for supplying illicit opioids and cutting agents, while the House passed the Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act 407–4 to expand sanction authorities pending Senate action.