The US government has decided to expand sanctions on drug distributors to prevent the so-called ‘zombie drug’, fentanyl (a type of narcotic painkiller) from entering the United States, which has emerged as a serious social problem.
In a material related to ‘Strengthening Efforts to Block Illegal Fentanyl Supply Chain’ distributed on the 11th, the Biden administration announced that it would strengthen efforts to block illegal financial activities, such as sanctions against drug distributors, to prevent the use of the US financial system for drug transactions.
Accordingly, the Administration plans to strengthen coordination with international partners on efforts to combat illicit financing and money laundering related to the drug trade.
It has decided to cooperate in blocking drug manufacturing and distribution by establishing a global coalition with countries with similar stances who believe that countering synthetic drugs such as fentanyl is important.
It will also strengthen information sharing between US intelligence and law enforcement agencies, and work with the private sector to ensure that chemicals and equipment that could be used to manufacture fentanyl do not fall into the hands of drug dealers.
Fentanyl, which is illegally manufactured and distributed, is the number one cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 49, and two-thirds of the 107,622 deaths from drug overdose in the United States in 2021 were due to fentanyl.
The White House stressed that man-made fentanyl poses a threat to national security, public safety, and health because it is easier to manufacture and transport and more lethal than conventional drugs such as heroin and cocaine.
The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated nearly 100 individuals and companies involved in drug trafficking, including fentanyl, as targets for sanctions in accordance with President Biden’s executive order in December 2021.