William P. Barr and John P. Walters have characterized China as a "hub of illegal drug manufacturing," citing the production of drug precursors in Chinese laboratories that are subsequently shipped to Mexican cartels for further processing. This statement was made in a commentary published by the Hudson Institute on January 23rd.
"As Trump's announced tariffs show, the U.S. has the tools and leverage to compel China and Mexico to shut down these operations," said Barr and John Walters, Former Attorney General. "Doing this would strike a decisive blow: once these operations are dismantled, it would be impossible to replicate them elsewhere at anywhere near their current scale. China has become the hub of illegal drug production because illegal narcotics are increasingly synthesized chemically, rather than made from grown plants."
According to Barr and Walters, Chinese companies are able to mass-produce synthetic narcotics due to the country's extensive chemical industrial base and insufficient criminal enforcement against manufacturers. They assert that Mexican cartels are responsible for processing and distributing these drugs into the United States. The pair recommends implementing higher tariffs and targeted sanctions against Chinese drug companies and banks involved in trafficking activities.
A press release from the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) claims that the CCP directly subsidizes the manufacturing and export of illegal fentanyl materials and other synthetic narcotics through tax rebates, grants, and awards to companies engaged in trafficking. Furthermore, it accuses the CCP of failing to prosecute manufacturers of fentanyl and drug precursors.
CBS News reports that President-elect Donald Trump has announced plans to impose a 25% tariff on all imports from Mexico and Canada, along with a 10% tariff on imports from China, unless these countries take measures to control illegal drug trafficking and undocumented immigration.
William P. Barr is noted as a former Attorney General who is currently a fellow at the Hudson Institute, where he focuses on policy issues related to transnational criminal operations, including drug trafficking.
