“The Chinese and Mexican cartels are not trying to create drug addicts – they [are] We try and succeed by killing our people, primarily young men. If we were in a traditional war where over 100,000 people die from guns and bombs each year, our citizens would demand that Congress and the President end the war. ”
– Rebecca Keithling, mother of two boys I was killed On the same day, due to a fake prescription drug that was found to be fentanyl.
President Trump made history by signing more first-day executive orders than any other president recorded. But for millions of Americans affected by the fentanyl crisis, one stood out. order International cartels have been designated as terrorist organisations, unlocking unlimited financial war on Chinese money laundering organisations that move and manage revenues of Mexican drug groups, facilitators and fentanyl.
This is good news for countless families who have lost their loved ones to law enforcement and fentanyl. Now, the Trump administration and Congress must commit the resources they need to implement this effort.
The fentanyl epidemic on our coast already claims the lives of nearly half a million Americans, crippling the US health system at a cost of trillions of dollars. More than 80% of New York City Thousands of drug overdose Fentanyl is involved every year.
Victims are often young adults or children seeking self-treatment anxiety Or help you focus on fake prescription medications you can buy online without a doubt.
DEA seized enough fake prescription drugs Weaving fentanyl in 2022 to kill all Americans – and that's probably just like many deadly pills have gone through.
Caleb, 20, and Kyler Keithling, 18, passed away along with Michigan friend Sophia Harris, 17. Kyler had graduated from high school the day before. 19-year-old Logan Lachiwal died in Wisconsin from the same fatal mistake.
The Drug Enforcement Agency says the main cause of death among Americans ages 18 to 45 is fentanyl overdose.
Tragically, the death of fentanyl Children under 5 years old It's increasing.
Ezekiel Rivera died in California of acute fentanyl toxicity after her father used drugs. He was only two years old.
Recognizing the enormous nature of the Fentanyl Challenge, Trump's executive order extends the opioid crisis from a public health emergency to a national security issue. This is exactly that.
Trump's move also helps target the person responsible for washing up dirty money in the cartel. As many people in the law enforcement community have It's attracting attentionincluding these criminal organizations Chinese Triad Gangoften seem to be free to operate in the US and other North America.
Last year, TD Bank I agreed to pay Then the 3 billion dollar penalty Plead guilty New Jersey federal courts will monitor LAX in connection with China's moneying of fentanyl-related funds. Employees from multiple banks knew what was going on.
The reality is that criminal organizations cannot operate in the United States or elsewhere without financial and legal facilitators that help move and hide money. I need a village of Rogue.
Trump's order raises the interests of the cartel and its bankers, accountants and lawyers. They could soon face terrorist accusations for transactions that may have previously been deemed less severe as crime or commercial crime. Under the terrorist designation, these facilitators could face civil lawsuits from the families of overdose victims.
But first you need to find these aspiring accomplices.
Designating a cartel terrorist organization also aims to access the precursor chemicals needed to produce fentanyl. Precursor chemicals come from a China-controlled supply chain It spreads to the highest level of the Chinese Communist Party. Over the years, CCP has been blinding their eyes – Incentives – Illegal supply of these chemicals. Under the new order, measures taken to support this activity can be viewed as support for terrorist groups.
To effectively clean up the illegal fentanyl trade, the US must mask both the cartel and its enablers.
The report shows directly link Between anonymous shell companies and fentanyl trafficking. These opaque companies serve It obscures the transport of drugs as a frontline for fake pharmacies and cartel money laundering. Chinese gangs use shell companies hide Criminals behind the anonymity layer of corporate.
Recognizing this risk, the first Trump administration worked with law enforcement and Congress to enact the bipartisan Corporate Transparency Act in January 2021, which bans anonymous shell companies.
But the misguided efforts of small business lobby to eliminate CTAs could undermine Trump's critical new executive order, threatening to undermine law enforcement's ability to chase money.
We cannot afford to remove the investigator's handcuffs just to blindfold them. The Department of Justice and other law enforcement agencies need useful ownership information to speed up prosecution of cartels and their enablers and seize cash.
The Trump administration and Congress need to build strategies to unlock unlimited financial war against the cartel and its enablers. .
Track, track and end these financial lifelines by a government with artificial intelligence and specialized expertise to remove millions of financial records already owned by the government Financial crime devices need to be modernised.
Federal, state and local governments need the funds and staffing needed to act on these leads before more lives are lost.
The cost of the fentanyl epidemic is progressing smoothly The signit's hard to understand why Congress and the state aren't funding more law enforcement officials, along with the tools and technology they need. That's just a small portion of the costs that the Americans have already endured.
America cannot fight this war alone. The Secretary of State must coordinate international efforts and appoint special envoys to promote cooperation in intelligence report sharing, law enforcement and financial regulations.
Equally important, as Trump understands, Mexican and Canadian officials have exposed the risks of financial, commercial and corruption associated with cartels, while strengthening safe and secure trade in North America; We need to work with the US as an active partner to mitigate it. The success of the cartel's full-scale crackdown on cash depends on mutual trust and responsibility, as well as a sealed North American playbook.
Beyond government actions, the designation of terrorists provides a new pathway for reparations. Thousands of families who have harmed fentanyl may soon be able to sue people who support the cartel under terrorist laws. Congress should support this effort by suing the cartel on behalf of the government and allowing more individuals to share the penalties recovered. This increases enforcement while reducing costs. Similarly, expanding whistleblower reward programs could encourage insiders to expose violations.
President Trump's move to label foreign drug cartel terrorist organizations is an important step, but it's only the beginning. What really matters for now is whether the government will unleash its full power of its tools, from designating sanctions and prosecuting to seizing cartel cash.
Strong enforcement and proper funding will be key to stop the cartels from continuing to inundate America with fentanyl.
“Don't waste my boys' deaths,” Rebecca Keithling begged Congress, telling their stories “that will help humanize the massive losses from the border crisis.” He said he wanted it.
For families like her who have experienced heartbreaking losses in this battle, there may finally be a sense of justice when Washington turns his promise into action. This may be the moment when the cartel grip begins to loosen forever.
Elaine Dezenski is Senior Director and Head of the Center for Economic and Financial Power at the Democracy Foundation.
