Executive Summary
- The U.S. and China have reached an agreement to halt the export of chemicals used to produce illicit fentanyl, according to the FBI.
- FBI Director Kash Patel announced the deal during a White House press briefing on Wednesday.
- Patel credited the achievement to President Donald Trump, stating the move would save “tens of thousands of lives.”
WASHINGTON – The U.S. has secured an agreement with China to halt the export of precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl, FBI Director Kash Patel announced on Wednesday. The announcement was made during a media briefing at the White House.
According to Director Patel, the agreement represents a significant development in combating the opioid crisis that has impacted the United States. He credited the diplomatic effort to President Donald Trump’s administration, stating the deal would have an immediate effect on the production of the synthetic opioid.
“Effective immediately, essentially President Trump has shut off the pipeline that creates fentanyl, that kills tens of thousands of Americans,” Patel stated during the briefing. “This historic achievement has saved tens of thousands of lives.”
Fentanyl precursors are the chemical ingredients necessary for the illicit synthesis of the powerful opioid, which has been linked to a substantial number of overdose deaths across the country. The agreement aims to disrupt the supply chain for drug traffickers who produce and distribute fentanyl in the United States.