China says no unlawful fentanyl trafficking between it and Mexico

BEIJING, April 6 (Reuters) – (This April 6 tale has been corrected to replace the CDC knowledge on fatalities to greater than 70,000 in 2021 from all artificial opioids, no longer extra than100,000 in fiscal 2022 from fentanyl, in paragraph 6)

There’s no such factor as unlawful trafficking of fentanyl between China and Mexico, China’s overseas ministry mentioned on Thursday, responding to a letter from the Mexican president asking Beijing to assist restrict illicit flows of the fatal drug.

China has no longer been notified by way of Mexico about any seizure of fentanyl from China, ministry spokesperson Mao Ning mentioned at a standard briefing.

“U.S. must resist its personal issues and take extra substantive measures to beef up legislation inside its borders and cut back call for,” Mao mentioned, relating to drug abuse as an issue “made within the U.S.”.

Mexico’s president mentioned on Tuesday he had written to Chinese language president Xi Jinping, urging him to assist keep an eye on shipments of fentanyl as he fended off grievance within the U.S. that Mexico isn’t doing sufficient to forestall trafficking of the unreal opioid.

Fentanyl, broadly utilized in hospitals throughout anaesthesia and for ache aid, has grow to be a significant black marketplace narcotic in the US. Mexican drug cartels have more and more taken section within the unlawful trade.

There have been greater than 70,000 reported overdose deaths involving artificial opioids in 2021, consistent with knowledge from the U.S. Facilities for Illness Keep an eye on and Prevention.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador defended within the March 22 letter efforts to curb provide of the drug, whilst rounding on U.S. critics, a few of whom need Washington to interfere militarily in Mexico.

The letter and China’s reaction didn’t point out provides of the precursor chemical compounds used to make the robust sedative.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Company says each completed fentanyl and precursors are transported from China to Mexico, the United State and Canada, ceaselessly by way of global mail.

Reporting by way of Yew Lun Tian; Writing by way of Liz Lee; Modifying by way of Frank Jack Daniel

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