Mexican Drug Cartel Recruiting Vulnerable Chemistry Students for Fentanyl Production

mexico - Criminals in Mexico are exploiting vulnerable chemistry students for the production of the dangerous drug fentanyl.

Dangerous criminals in Mexico are utilizing vulnerable chemistry students for the production of the 'zombie drug' fentanyl.

Fentanyl is a powerful painkiller, widely abused as a drug in the US. The statistics of fentanyl-related deaths in the US are alarming. According to a report from the CDC, the number of deaths nearly quadrupled between 2016 and 2021. In 2016, there were 5.7 deaths per 100,000 people due to fentanyl overdose, while in 2021, it rose to 21.6 deaths per 100,000. The drug is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and is often mixed with other substances, leading to fatal outcomes.

The CDC notes a gradual decrease in fentanyl-related deaths, but the issue persists along the US-Mexico border. The Mexican drug cartel finds the fentanyl trade lucrative and is determined to sustain it.

Recruiters from the cartel in Mexico are increasingly targeting vulnerable chemistry students at universities to control fentanyl production. Desperate students are offered $800 upfront and a monthly salary, double the typical earnings of chemists in Mexico. This appealing offer is hard to resist for financially struggling students.

Compared to other drugs, fentanyl is relatively easy to produce, involving only four steps. However, the process is perilous, with risks of chemical exposure, explosions, and violent bosses. The recruited students are often left uninformed about the dangerous nature of their work.

President Trump aims to curb fentanyl importation into the US by imposing substantial tariffs on Mexican and Canadian products, along with additional penalties on Chinese goods due to their role in fentanyl production.