‘Most fentanyl is sold by Americans’

Ambassador from Mexico in the United States, Esteban Moctezumaassured this Friday that the vast majority of fentanyl seized at the border is being smuggled by US citizens and stressed that the “responsibility” to combat it lies with both countries.

“We see that in 85% of border seizures made by CBP (US Customs and Border Protection), those transporting drugs are not migrants, they are US citizens,” he said at a press conference. in Washington along with the US Ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar.

Montezuma He said both nations have a responsibility to fight it and acknowledged the work Mexico has done to stop chemicals used in drug production from Asia coming into its territory.

As an example, he cited the fact that the navy is now in charge of Mexican ports so that “there will be more control,” as well as the letter that Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador sent to his Chinese counterpart. Xi Jinpingseeking further cooperation.

“The results are clear, that is, there is a much greater seizure of substances related to the production of methamphetamine, as well as the drug itself. fentanylwhich came from outside”, he confirmed.

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that, according to Washingtonproduced by Mexican cartels using chemicals from China and smuggled into the United States, where more than 70,000 people died last year from an overdose of the substance.

This was assured by the administration of Democrat Joe Biden Mexico more needs to be done to combat this drug, but López Obrador He questioned whether fentanyl was being produced in his country, despite the fact that his government had dismantled hundreds of clandestine laboratories for the substance.

At the press conference, the American ambassador in Mexico, Ken Salazarhe explained that fentanyl is a “very difficult problem” for his country, which is why the US launched a global coalition against this opioid, which Mexico joined, but China refused to participate.

“We have worked hard against fentanyl and we know that United States and Mexico they must include participation China because the precursors come from there and we have a tough job with it,” he said.

The diplomat also claimed that he was The Biden administration responded to Mexico’s request stop the sale of US arms to that Latin American country.

“As far as the arms trade is concerned, we are in a very historic phase. What we are doing has never been done,” he believes, since NOW approved a law making arms trafficking a “serious crime”.