A Grim Milestone: Over a Million Lives Lost

The opioid crisis in the United States has reached a devastating milestone. Sence 2000, more than 1 million americans have died from drug overdoses, according too the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. opioids, notably fentanyl, are the primary driver of this tragic surge.

• In 2023, over 74,000 Americans died from overdoses involving fentanyl.
• fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are now the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45.

Fentanyl: A Double-Edged Sword

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, was initially developed as a powerful pain reliever. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the 1960s, pharmaceutical fentanyl is used to manage severe pain, particularly after surgery or in advanced stages of diseases.

Though, illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF) has flooded the black market, creating a perilous landscape. These synthetic combinations are highly addictive and pose a significant threat due to their potency.

The danger lies in its strength:

chemical admixture fentanyl is about 50 times more powerful than heroin and up to 100 times stronger than morphine and just 2 mg fentanyl doses can be a fatal dose for human life.

This extreme potency means even a tiny amount can be lethal,making it easy to conceal and transport.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), one kilogram of illegally purchased fentanyl from China, costing approximately $5,000, can generate over $1.5 million in revenue on the illegal market.

The low cost and high potency make fentanyl an attractive, yet deadly, choice to heroin in the illegal market, exacerbating addiction and health risks.

The Supply Chain: Mexico, China, and U.S. Citizens

The fentanyl crisis is fueled by a complex international supply chain. Mexico and China play significant roles in the production and distribution of this deadly drug.

Mexico’s Role as a Transit Point

Most fentanyl smuggled into the U.S. crosses the border from Mexico. Smugglers transport the drug in vehicles or on foot, often concealing small, easily hidden amounts.

The quantities seized are often small, but deadly. The average confiscated weight is usually around 1.2 kilograms, containing over 50,000 potentially fatal doses.

The U.S. government identifies two Mexican drug cartels, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), as primarily responsible for the production and distribution network.

China’s Role as a Chemical Supplier

China has been a major source of precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl. Much of the fentanyl smuggled from Mexico into the U.S. is produced using these Chinese chemicals.

While China classified fentanyl as a controlled substance in 2019 and later added some precursor chemicals to the list, illegal merchants continue to find ways to circumvent these regulations.

A Surprising Statistic: U.S. Citizens involved

Interestingly, however, between 2019 and 2023, more than 86% of Fentanyl merchants were US citizens.

International Efforts to Combat the Crisis

The fentanyl crisis requires a coordinated international response. Efforts to combat the flow of fentanyl involve diplomatic pressure, law enforcement cooperation, and economic measures.

Trump administration’s Approach

Former President Donald Trump’s administration pursued a strategy of imposing tariffs on Mexico to pressure the country to increase its efforts to combat drug smuggling. Following the threat of tariffs,Mexico deployed an additional 10,000 soldiers to the U.S. border to combat drug trafficking.

Current Efforts

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has intensified law enforcement efforts and improved cooperation with the U.S. government, resulting in the confiscation of thousands of kilograms of fentanyl and the arrest of over 6,000 individuals involved in drug smuggling.

Challenges in International Cooperation

Impaired economic relations between the U.S. and China could hinder cooperation in addressing the flow of drugs, according to international relations researchers.

Global Drug Trends: A UN Perspective

the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports a concerning global trend in drug use.

According to the UNODC’s 2024 report, the number of drug users worldwide reached 292 million in 2022, a 20% increase over the past decade.

• Marijuana remains the most widely used drug globally,with 228 million users.
• Opioids are the second most prevalent, with 60 million users.
• Other commonly used drugs include amphetamines, cocaine, and ecstasy.

Drug Origin and Trafficking Routes

The global drug trade involves complex networks spanning multiple continents.

Cocaine

Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia are the primary sources of cocaine production. The drug is often transported across the Atlantic, concealed within legal shipments such as bananas or avocados, entering major European ports.

Hashish and Marijuana

Morocco is the main source of hashish and marijuana, but production has increased in countries like Spain and the Netherlands. These drugs are transported across the Mediterranean to Spain or Italy, or overland through the Balkan region.

Heroin

Afghanistan is the primary origin of heroin, with some production in Iran and Pakistan. The main trafficking route to Europe is the Balkan route,passing from Afghanistan through Iran and Turkey to the Balkan countries and then to Western Europe.

Synthetic Drugs

It is indeed largely in Europe itself, such as ecstasy and amphetamines, in the Netherlands and Belgium, using raw materials, frequently enough imported from China and India.

The UNODC’s 2024 World Drug Report highlights an increasing trend in the Baltic States, specifically Estonia and Latvia, of new psychoactive substances like isotonitazene, protonitazene, and metonitazene being detected in drug overdose cases and deaths.

Alexis Goosdeel, director of the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), emphasizes that drugs are everywhere and that we have never had so many drugs through the smuggling through Europe or that made in Europe.

The EMCDDA report also underscores the close links between violence, corruption, and drug trafficking, noting that corruption as a whole is a huge risk for democracy and the rule of law.

The EU’s Integrated Approach

The European Union is implementing an integrated approach to combat drug trafficking, combining law enforcement, healthcare, financial supervision, and international cooperation. However, Europe’s geographical location, strong infrastructure, and high standard of living make it an attractive market for drug dealers and manufacturers.

Dogs: unsung Heroes in the Fight Against Drugs

Specially trained dogs play a crucial role in drug detection efforts.

A dog’s sense of smell is up to 10,000 times more sensitive than a human’s, making them highly effective at detecting drugs in large crowds and concealed locations.

contrary to common misconceptions, drug-sniffing dogs are not addicted to drugs. Instead, they are trained to associate the scent of drugs with a favorite toy.

The way they are trained means that they associate a certain toy with drugs and their natural instinct is to hunt and look for whatever they are trained to find.

These dogs form strong bonds with their handlers and are obedient, responsive to training, and capable of working in high-pressure environments.

One notable example is “Goose,” a Golden Retriever working with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on the San Diego-Mexico border. Goose is trained to detect fentanyl and is part of a specialized K-9 unit.

Since 2017, CBP dog teams have helped confiscate over 29,000 kilograms of fentanyl.Despite technological advancements, dogs like Goose remain invaluable due to their unparalleled olfactory capabilities.

Though, animals are sometimes exploited by drug dealers. In 2016, synthetic drug dealers in Amsterdam used two crocodiles as security. The crocodiles were discovered during police raids on multiple homes, where several kilograms of synthetic drugs worth €500,000 were seized.