Mexican authorities recently acknowledged that the country is a major producer of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid responsible for around 70,000 overdose deaths annually in the United States. While President López Obrador has previously denied the presence of fentanyl production in Mexico, Felipe de Jesus Gallo, the head of Mexico’s Criminal Investigation Agency, confirmed the country’s involvement in the manufacturing of the drug. Gallo highlighted that cartels in Mexico utilize precursor chemicals from China and India to produce fentanyl and export it to the United States.
Although fentanyl is not as widely abused in Mexico, methamphetamine addiction is prevalent in the country. Gallo disclosed that Mexican cartels have implemented industrial-scale production of methamphetamine in various states across Mexico, leading to the drug being distributed globally. In the past, drug labs were mainly located in the mountains and rural areas of states like Sinaloa and Sonora, but now they have expanded to more urban regions such as Hidalgo, Puebla, and Jalisco. The methamphetamine trade has become highly profitable and sophisticated, with Mexican meth being shipped to distant locations like Hong Kong and Australia.
Mexican drug cartels have developed innovative techniques to evade detection of their drug money, including engaging in barter agreements to exchange precursor chemicals for methamphetamine. The scale of drug production in Mexico is vast, as evidenced by recent seizures of large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl by Mexican authorities. In February, the Mexican Navy seized over 45 tons of methamphetamine in the biggest drug lab discovered during the current administration. Fentanyl production is also significant, with soldiers finding over half a million fentanyl pills in Culiacan in a large synthetic drug lab bust.
President López Obrador, who assumed office in December 2018, has maintained a stance that Mexicans are culturally immune to drug addiction. However, the reality of widespread drug production and distribution within Mexico contradicts this assertion. The country’s involvement in fentanyl and methamphetamine production, as acknowledged by Mexican authorities, highlights the challenges posed by drug cartels and the impact of the illicit drug trade on both domestic and international communities. The sophistication of drug production operations in Mexico, along with innovative strategies employed to conceal drug trafficking activities, underscores the need for comprehensive efforts to combat the drug trade and address substance abuse issues within the country.
