[Two Chinese Citizens on Trial in New York for Illicit Fentanyl Trade
Two Chinese citizens, Wang Qingzhou and Chen Yiyi, are standing trial in New York’s Southern District Court for their alleged involvement in the illegal fentanyl trade. The trial began on Wednesday, marking a landmark case as officials aim to crack down on the movement of deadly fentanyl and its components from China to the United States.
The defendants, who were arrested in Fiji in June 2023, are accused of shipping over 200 kilograms of fentanyl-related chemical precursors to the US, which could be used to produce enough fentanyl to kill 25 million Americans. Prosecutors say the chemicals were supplied by a Chinese company, Hubei Amarvel Biotech, which is believed to be one of many China-based suppliers of precursor chemicals fueling the US drug crisis.
Fentanyl overdoses have surged in recent years, with over 107,000 Americans dying from drug overdoses in 2023, according to government data. The case is significant because it is the first time Chinese nationals have been arrested and extradited on charges related to trafficking fentanyl precursor chemicals into the US.
In their opening statements, prosecutors alleged that Wang and Chen agreed to ship tons of chemicals from China to the US to manufacture fentanyl, with the goal of setting up a drug lab in New York. Defense lawyers argued that the chemicals were insufficient to make fentanyl and that their clients were unaware of their intended use.
If convicted, the defendants face a minimum of 10 years or up to life in prison. The case is also a test of US-China cooperation on counter-narcotics, with some critics accusing China of not doing enough to monitor or regulate purchases from buyers aiming to use Chinese-made ingredients to manufacture illegal drugs overseas.
China has denied such criticism, accusing the US of “shifting the blame” and pointing to its own strict drug control measures and efforts to further control production of related substances. Despite friction between the two countries, China and the US have recently resumed counter-narcotics collaboration, with President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping committing to go after companies that produce precursor chemicals.
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