Every day, families in the U.S. lose loved ones to fentanyl. This issue goes beyond being merely a public safety or health crisis; it poses a serious national security threat.
As Attorney General, I witness the impact firsthand. In South Carolina, over 70% of overdose fatalities in 2023 were linked to fentanyl.
I’ve prosecuted cases where enough fentanyl was brought into the state to potentially kill half a million people in one go. These events aren’t isolated; they’re part of a global pipeline aimed at profiting from American lives. To truly address this, we must recognize what’s driving the crisis.
FBI’s ‘Operation Boxcutter’ has implicated a Chinese pharmaceutical company along with cartel assets in fentanyl trafficking.
The fentanyl crisis is reinforced by a vast money laundering network, with around $100 million shifting weekly. This financial influx sustains the epidemic, allowing cartels to enhance their operations, inundate communities with dangerous substances, and dodge law enforcement.
A crucial element of this network operates through a technology platform centered in China.
We cannot let foreign adversaries exploit technology and financial systems as weapons against our citizens. We must seek accountability.
Apps like WeChat and its Chinese counterpart, Weixin, have facilitated the laundering of drug money directly tied to fentanyl trafficking. These encrypted platforms act as shields that obscure criminal activities from American authorities.
President Trump has previously signed an order designating illegal fentanyl as a ‘weapon of mass destruction’ due to the associated national security risk.
Over the last year, a bipartisan group of attorneys general, led by North Carolina’s Jeff Jackson and myself, has been actively addressing this challenge. We’ve encouraged WeChat to improve its cooperation with law enforcement, achieving tangible progress, such as quicker response times and enhanced monitoring tools.
Yet, Weixin, operating under China’s privacy regulations, often fails to adequately respond to U.S. law enforcement requests.
Many financial intermediaries involved in these transactions are based in China, making it essential to bridge this gap for national security. Without this critical information, law enforcement struggles to dismantle international drug cartels responsible for bringing toxic substances into the U.S. That’s why, recently, a coalition of attorneys general urged President Trump to engage with the Chinese government to curb the flow of fentanyl.
President Trump has always recognized the gravity of this situation. During his administration, he took significant steps to confront China’s role in the fentanyl pipeline, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing American lives. He understood that this issue transcends drug problems; it’s about foreign entities undermining our systems.
We need that same level of strength and clarity today.
FBI has arrested 55 individuals in a large-scale drug ring linked to Chinese suppliers reportedly flooding fentanyl into U.S. markets.
In contemporary warfare, our adversaries seldom confront us head-on but employ tactics like gray zone warfare—using proxy networks, technology, financial systems, and cyber tactics to weaken the United States. The fentanyl crisis exemplifies this.
Chinese laboratories produce precursor chemicals while Mexican cartels handle drug manufacturing and distribution. Digital platforms assist in moving money. Together, they create a lethal system that claims American lives daily.
This is not accidental—it’s strategic.
We cannot permit foreign foes to weaponize technology and financial networks against our people. We must pursue accountability, enhance enforcement, and utilize every available tool, including law enforcement and diplomacy.
This issue is deeply personal for me, as it is for countless Americans. I have seen the devastation this crisis inflicts on families, communities, and the nation’s future.
If we don’t take decisive action, more lives will be claimed and families will suffer.
However, if we tackle this threat with the necessary seriousness and go after the funding, networks, and foreign entities enabling it, we can change the course of this battle.
The American people and families in South Carolina deserve nothing less.
