In a recent report unveiled by the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, it was stated that "the fentanyl crisis is one of the most horrific disasters that America has ever faced." The Committee attributed the fentanyl epidemic to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), labeling it as "the ultimate geographic source of the fentanyl crisis."
The investigation conducted by the Select Committee revealed alarming findings regarding the CCP's involvement in the illicit fentanyl trade. The report highlighted that the CCP never disclosed its subsidies for the manufacturing and export of illicit fentanyl materials, and even commended companies openly trafficking these substances. Additionally, the CCP was criticized for failing to prosecute fentanyl and precursor manufacturers and for actively benefiting from the fentanyl crisis through organized criminal groups.
Despite the acknowledgment by the PRC government that trafficking fentanyl precursors is illegal under Chinese law, the Select Committee found thousands of PRC companies openly selling these illicit materials on the Chinese internet, which is extensively monitored and controlled. The report emphasized the CCP's failure to address flagrant violations of its own laws and regulations.
In response to these revelations, the report proposed several recommendations for the United States to combat the fentanyl crisis effectively. These include establishing a Joint Task Force to target the global illicit fentanyl supply chain, providing law enforcement with necessary resources, strengthening sanctions authorities, enacting trade and customs enforcement measures, and closing regulatory gaps exploited by money launderers and fentanyl traffickers.
The Select Committee's investigation shed light on the complexities of the fentanyl epidemic and the role of the CCP in perpetuating this global crisis. The findings underscore the urgent need for coordinated international efforts to address the illicit fentanyl trade and its devastating consequences.
