In another significant challenge to China, the Justice Department of the United States on Friday launched criminal charges against four Chinese companies and eight persons for allegedly trafficking chemicals needed to create fentanyl, an addictive painkiller, in the US and Mexico.
The prosecutions are included in three separate indictments that are unsealed in the federal court of New York. This Fentanyl has been blamed for a crisis of lethal overdose.
Cryptocurrency plays a critical role in trafficking
According to federal prosecutors, companies marketing such chemicals have been accepting cryptocurrency payments and shipping them to drug traffickers such as Mexico's Sinaloa cartel. In a news conference, Attorney General Merrick Garland said that these actions were aimed towards preventing the Chinese companies from "supplying the cartels with the building blocks they need to manufacture deadly fentanyl."
Furthermore, one of the China-based companies, Hubei Amarvel Biotech Co., has been accused of employing deceiving practices to avoid action by authorities, like disguising products as dog food or motor oil for 'safe' deliveries to the US and Mexico. Two of its executives were arrested earlier this month.
Other indicted companies are Anhui Rencheng Technology Co., Anhui Moker New Material Technology Co., Hefei GSK Trade Co. for charges including customs fraud conspiracy.
(With inputs from AP)
