Photo: JOHANNES EISELE / AFP / Getty Images
For: The Opinion
Sunday, November 17
DEA warns that Mexican cartels sell fentanyl through social networks
The popularity of networks such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, S n apchat and YouTube, became a path that the drug cartels have taken advantage of little by little for the massive sale of drugs on the streets of the United States.
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) warned that drug traffickers are now exploiting social media platforms to deliver drugs containing fentanyl and fake prescription pills with one click.
According to the analysis presented by the DEA, as overdose deaths in the United States reach a devastating new level , with a new victim every five minutes, a direct link was established between fentanyl-related overdose deaths and criminal drug networks in Mexico.
Anne Milgram, administrator of the DEA, announced the results of a public security operation carried out between 29 September and 14 of December this year, focused on criminal drug networks that are taking advantage of the anonymity and accessibility of digital applications to introduce deadly drugs into American communities.
“Mexican drug networks are harnessing the perfect drug trafficking tool: social media… They’re using these apps to flood our country w / fentanyl… drug dealers operate on social media & smartphone apps w / ease & are fueling our Nation’s overdose epidemic, ”said Administrator Milgram
– DEA HQ (@DEAHQ) December 14, 2021
In addition, officials of DEA warn that drug cartels in Mexico are producing in large volumes of fentanyl and fake prescription pills mixed with fentanyl, using chemicals mainly sourced from China.
These fake pills are designed to look almost identical to legitimate prescriptions such as Oxycontin, Percocet, Vicodin, Adderall, Xanax, and other medications.
It was detailed that the agency seized more than 1, 500 pounds of fentanyl in the country only in the last four months of the year . This seized synthetic drug was directly implicated in at least 46 overdose and 39 overdose deaths.
At least in 76 cases, drug traffickers used social media applications, including Snapchat, Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
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