Mexican Criminal Groups Recruit chemistry Students to Make Fentanyl
Mexican cartels are using an unconventional tactic to produce the synthetic opioid fentanyl: they are recruiting chemistry students from universities to make the drug. The cartels are looking for students with advanced knowledge of chemistry to help produce fentanyl and its precursors, which are essential to making the drug stronger and more addictive.
Recruiters describe the ideal candidate as someone with a strong academic background in chemistry, street smarts, and the ability to keep the work secret. The cartels use a network of friends, family, and colleagues to identify and approach potential candidates. They offer attractive salaries and benefits to persuade students to join their ranks.
The Sinaloa Cartel, the group responsible for much of the fentanyl coming into the United States, has been actively recruiting chemistry students. According to an unnamed recruiter, the cartel has found three students who now work developing precursors for fentanyl.
However, the production of fentanyl is a dangerous and difficult process. Cooks and students who have made the drug described wearing gas masks and hazmat suits to protect themselves from the toxic fentanyl. Despite the risks, many students are attracted to the high salaries and benefits offered by the cartels.
The recruitment of chemistry students is a relatively new development in the battle to control the fentanyl supply. The Sinaloa Cartel had previously relied on uneducated cooks from rural areas who could easily obtain recipes for making fentanyl. However, as China restricted the export of fentanyl precursors and the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted supply chains, the cartels knew they needed to find a new source of expertise.
The recruitment of chemistry students has allowed the cartels to gain control over the production of precursors, making it easier to produce fentanyl. This means that the drug is becoming increasingly potent and addictive, making it more challenging for law enforcement to stop its production and distribution.
U.S. officials are concerned that the cartels’ ability to synthesize precursors could lead to a terrifying new phase in the fentanyl crisis, in which Mexican cartels have more control over one of the deadliest drugs in recent history.
