Chinese Province Takes Action Against Fentanyl Trade, Makes 7 Arrests

Hubei province in China has detained seven individuals and closed over 200 websites as part of an intensified effort to combat fentanyl precursor trafficking. The enforcement action addresses a major point of tension between the United States and China, as America seeks to reduce deadly opioid imports.

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities in Hubei province have detained seven individuals and closed more than 200 websites as part of an intensified enforcement effort targeting fentanyl trafficking, according to state media reports released Thursday.

The enforcement action addresses a major source of friction between Washington and Beijing. President Donald Trump has imposed trade penalties on China in an effort to compel stronger action against the export of fentanyl precursor chemicals — the raw materials used to create the deadly synthetic opioid responsible for tens of thousands of fatal overdoses each year in America.

According to the Hubei Daily News online report, a specialized task force created in December has examined 22 cases throughout the province by February’s end. Along with the seven detainees, twelve additional individuals have faced “coercive measures,” a term that encompasses various forms of detention and questioning. Four businesses have also received penalties, the publication reported.

The state-run Xinhua News Agency published a corresponding report stating the task force was created following orders from China’s Ministry of Public Security. This enforcement campaign stems from China’s October commitment to combat precursor trafficking in exchange for reducing fentanyl-related trade penalties on Chinese imports from 20% to 10%.

In one investigation, intelligence provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency assisted Wuhan police in identifying a company that was distributing precursor chemicals along with stimulants, according to the Hubei Daily News. The company’s operator was taken into custody in early December with assistance from law enforcement in Shandong province, the report stated.

Another case resulted in two arrests involving suspects accused of creating front companies to distribute drugs and drug-manufacturing chemicals to international buyers, according to the report.

Trump initially imposed a 10% trade penalty on China citing fentanyl concerns after taking office last year, subsequently increasing it to 20%. He added further penalties on China and other nations beginning in April. China responded with its own trade measures in an escalating dispute. Both countries agreed to a one-year pause and the reduction of fentanyl-specific penalties to 10% following Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea at October’s end.

Preparations were in progress for a second face-to-face meeting in Beijing scheduled for early next month when Trump announced earlier this week that his administration was coordinating with China to postpone the visit, stating he would travel in approximately five to six weeks, placing the new timeframe in late April.