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Mexican Cartels Recruit Chemistry Students for Fentanyl Production: NYT Report

Dec 1, 2024, 07:05 PM

Mexican drug cartels are recruiting university chemistry students to produce fentanyl and its precursor chemicals, according to a New York Times report. The cartels are targeting students in Mexican universities, offering them lucrative incentives to synthesize compounds necessary for fentanyl production. This marks a shift in strategy as some cartels, such as the Sinaloa Cartel, aim to reduce reliance on precursor chemicals imported from China. These chemicals are often disguised as other goods and shipped to the United States and Mexico. The recruitment of chemistry students highlights the cartels' efforts to access specialized talent for drug manufacturing, raising concerns about the potential escalation of the fentanyl crisis.