Two pharmaceutical companies based in India, Raxuter Chemicals and Athos Chemicals, have been charged with criminal conspiracy to distribute and import chemicals into the U.S., Mexico, and other countries for the production of the synthetic opioid fentanyl. The charges were announced by the U.S. District Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
Bhavesh Lathiya, a senior executive of Raxuter Chemicals, was also indicted on similar charges and was arrested in New York City. Prosecutors allege that the companies engaged in deceptive practices to smuggle materials necessary for fentanyl production, including mislabeling packages, falsifying customs forms, and making false declarations at border crossings.
According to prosecutors, the companies shipped chemicals used in fentanyl production to the U.S. and Mexico, where they were utilized by drug trafficking groups like the Sinaloa Cartel to manufacture the highly potent and addictive drug. Fentanyl is known to be approximately 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.
One of the deceptive practices employed by Raxuter Chemicals involved falsely labeling a package containing fentanyl chemicals as Vitamin C. Another instance cited by prosecutors was the deliberate mislabeling of a fentanyl chemical as an antacid.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the Justice Department's commitment to holding accountable those responsible for the fentanyl epidemic, stating that efforts to combat the production and distribution of the deadly drug will continue.
