Fentanyl: the new gold mine of Mexican cartels
Mexico, known for decades for its intensive drug trafficking, is facing a new threat that is shaking the United States: fentanyl. This synthetic drug, fifty times more powerful than heroin, has become a veritable gold mine for Mexican cartels.
Fentanyl has many benefits for traffickers. Unlike opium, which requires land and resources to produce, fentanyl can be easily synthesized in the laboratory. This ease of manufacturing allows cartels to produce quickly and in large quantities, thus meeting growing demand in the market.
Additionally, fentanyl is extremely potent, meaning small amounts can yield huge profits. Traffickers can thus hide large quantities of fentanyl in small sachets or mix them with other substances to make them more profitable. This discretion also facilitates the transportation and distribution of drugs across borders.
But what makes fentanyl so dangerous is its ability to masquerade as other substances, including pills. Indeed, many drug users think they are purchasing oxycodone or legal painkillers, completely unaware that they are actually administering fentanyl. This confusion is leading to an alarming number of overdose deaths because users are unaware of the potency of the product they are consuming.
The ravages of fentanyl are not limited to the United States, they are gradually spreading across the entire American continent. Mexican cartels have managed to flood the market with this deadly drug, leading to massive addiction and a dramatic increase in overdose deaths.
To combat this scourge, American authorities are working closely with their Mexican counterparts to dismantle clandestine fentanyl laboratories and intercept shipments coming from Mexico. However, traffickers are often one step ahead, finding new methods to circumvent controls and continue to supply the market.
Fentanyl now represents a major threat to public safety and health. It is therefore imperative to strengthen international cooperation and put in place more effective measures to combat this destructive trafficking.