Chinese Nationals on Trial in Landmark Fentanyl Case in New York

Two Chinese citizens are on trial in New York City, accused of trafficking precursor chemicals used to manufacture the highly potent opioid, CNN reports.

Wang Qingzhou and Chen Yiyi face charges related to their alleged involvement in shipping fentanyl-related chemicals from China to the United States, a move that authorities say fueled the nation’s growing drug overdose epidemic.

The trial, which began Wednesday at the Southern District Court of New York, marks one of the first prosecutions of Chinese nationals and China-based companies for trafficking fentanyl precursor chemicals into the US. The defendants were apprehended in a sting operation in Fiji in June 2023, expelled from the South Pacific island, and subsequently arrested upon arrival in the United States.

Prosecutors allege that Wang and Chen, employed by the Chinese chemical manufacturer Hubei Amarvel Biotech, shipped over 200 kilograms of illicit precursor chemicals into the US. This quantity, they claim, is sufficient to create enough deadly doses of fentanyl to kill 25 million people. Amarvel Biotech is among several China-based suppliers accused of exporting these precursor chemicals, which are often synthesized into finished fentanyl by drug cartels operating in the US and Mexico.

Fentanyl overdoses have become a leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45, with more than 107,000 Americans dying from drug overdoses in 2023 alone, according to government data.

During opening statements, government prosecutor Kevin Sullivan emphasized the local connection, stating, “This case is about two people who agreed to ship tons of chemicals from China to the US to manufacture fentanyl, right here in New York.” He further alleged that Wang and Chen were attempting to assist a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) informant in establishing a drug lab in the city.

Defense attorney David Mou urged the jury to “stay open-minded,” arguing that “not a gram of fentanyl was produced” and that the chemicals involved were “insufficient to make fentanyl.”

Undercover Investigation Exposes Alleged Scheme

The charges against Wang, Chen, and Amarvel Biotech, also include marketing, selling and supplying fentanyl precursor chemicals in the US, which violates federal law. Prosecutors claim that Amarvel Biotech used a variety of methods to disguise shipments of precursor chemicals.

An undercover DEA investigation revealed that law enforcement officers in Los Angeles intercepted precursor chemicals sent by the defendants in May of 2023. This shipment was part of a deal with informants posing as drug traffickers, according to the indictment.

DEA informants also arranged multiple meetings with the defendants to discuss the acquisition of multiton quantities of precursor chemicals. The informants even claimed that fentanyl made from Amarvel Biotech products had caused fatalities, according to prosecutors. The two defendants were apprehended in Fiji after agreeing to formalize a purported monthly multiton order of the precursor chemicals with the informants.

If convicted, the two defendants face a minimum of 10 years or up to life in prison.

China Condemns US Proceedings

While the US and China have engaged in joint law enforcement efforts to combat the fentanyl trade, China was not involved in this particular investigation.

Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the US, criticized the US proceedings, alleging that US law enforcement has “ensnared Chinese nationals,” and called for their release. Liu accused the US of “long-arm jurisdiction and bullyism,” which he stated undermines cooperation between the two countries.

Fentanyl Control: Point of Contention, Cooperation

Controlling the flow of fentanyl has been a point of friction and cooperation between the US and China. While China has strict anti-drug policies, some US lawmakers accuse China of not doing enough to regulate purchases of Chinese-made ingredients used to make illegal drugs overseas. There are also accusations that the Chinese government subsidizes the manufacturing of materials used by traffickers.

Beijing has denied such accusations. However, in 2019, China classified all fentanyl-related substances as controlled narcotics, a move welcomed by the US. Anti-drug cooperation between the US and China was stalled due to disputes on trade, human rights, the Covid-19 outbreak and Taiwan.

Cooperation resumed in late 2023, with President Biden touting a commitment from Chinese leader Xi Jinping to target companies that produce precursor chemicals. Since then, China has increased efforts to curb the production of such chemicals.

However, Chinese authorities maintain that relying on control of precursor chemicals is insufficient. They also maintain that, fundamentally, the problem is high demand for the drug.