FBI Director Kash Patel is praising President Trump for taking a major step in the fight against illegal opioids within the United States. On Wednesday, Patel announced President Trump’s ban on precursor chemicals used to produce Fentanyl, a drug that causes thousands of overdoses each year in the U.S.
According to Patel, the ban will target chemical substances that are used by drug cartels to produce illegal Fentanyl for transport to the U.S. The strategy of the administration is to cut off the source of precursors and sever the supply chain of criminal organizations that rely on the chemicals to synthesize Fentanyl for illegal sale. Patel emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that Fentanyl overdoses caused over 100,000 deaths in America last year.
President Trump worked with Chinese President Xi Jinping to enact the ban. As a result of the ban, China has agreed to impose stricter controls on subsidiaries engaged in the production of precursor chemicals.
Battling the opioid epidemic has been a signature issue of the Trump administration. Patel noted the FBI has increased seizures of Fentanyl under President Trump by 31 percent compared to the same period last year. He also emphasized the extreme dangers of Fentanyl due to its deadly potency, pointing out that the 19 kilograms seized by the FBI were enough to kill 127 million Americans.
Patel praised Trump’s action, calling the work between the Trump administration and China a “historic, first-of-its-kind achievement.” Patel noted the ban would impact other countries that rely on Chinese precursor chemicals to produce Fentanyl and would “suffocate the ability to manufacture fentanyl in places like Mexico,” resulting in thousands fewer overdose deaths in the U.S.
The negotiation between the U.S. and China involved several members of the administration, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and U.S. Ambassador David Perdue.
Patel traveled to China last week to participate in the negotiation process, which resulted in China’s agreement to assist the U.S. in cracking down on the illegal production of Fentanyl. Patel also praised Chinese officials for their cooperation.
“Thanks to President Trump’s direct engagement with President Xi, the government of China committed fully to my engagement there, on the ground, in Being at a level never seen before,” Patel said.