What Is Fentanyl?: The US Detects That Colombia and Ecuador Also Traffic It
This was determined by the head of counternarcotics at the United States Department of State, Todd Robinson. Here we explain what fentanyl is and what it means that Colombia and Ecuador belong to the marketing chain .
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Leer en español: ¿Qué es el fentanilo?: EE.UU. detecta que Colombia y Ecuador también lo trafican
The United States has detected that Colombia and Ecuador also participate in the production or trafficking of fentanyl, in addition to Mexico, the State Department's anti-narcotics chief, Todd Robinson, explained this Tuesday.
"Mexico is the main port of entry but we know that there are other countries that participate in the supply chain, such as Colombia and Ecuador. There are also suppliers in Asia. There are several points that are affecting the United States," he said.
The anti-narcotics chief stressed that the production chain of this powerful synthetic opioid that has caused thousands of deaths in the United States begins in China, where chemicals used to make the drug are marketed.
These precursors reach America, mainly to Mexican cartels, which produce fentanyl and send it to US territory, he added.
Robinson gave these statements in New York, where he participated in an event of the global coalition against synthetic drugs organized by the United States on the margins of the UN General Assembly.
What is fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a strong synthetic opioid, with stronger effects than morphine and heroin. It is an analgesic and the dose is lower than that of these other two opioids.
This drug has caused a major health crisis in the United States, whose Government now intends to investigate and study the marketing chain.
Read also: The History of the Opioid Crisis
A new drug policy
On the other hand, the anti-narcotics chief said that the United States is "analyzing" the new anti-drug plan presented by Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who seeks to stop persecuting small coca leaf growers and attacking drug trafficking organizations.
The official said that the Colombian Government "has not ignored" crop eradications, despite the fact that plantations have reached record numbers, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
But he admitted that the United States and Colombia can still "do more" in terms of drug seizures.
"The Colombian Government wants to provide greater security to the citizens of rural areas of Colombia and we want to help in this," said Robinson.
