8 Jul 2022

Mexican security forces seize record fentanyl haul

1:16 pm on 8 July 2022

The Mexican army and national guard seized a record quantity of fentanyl in the northern state of Sinaloa earlier this week, according to a statement by the Ministry of Defence on Thursday, in a rare bust of manufacturers of the powerful synthetic opioid.

Fentanyl pills.

Mexico's chequered progress against drug trafficking has been seen as a major sticking point for bilateral ties with the United States Photo: 123RF

The seizure of 542.7kg of fentanyl, alongside some 555kg of methamphetamine, 31kg of cocaine, 7kg of heroin, and over 71,000kg of chemical precursors, was carried out on a warehouse on Monday and resulted in 10 arrests.

The Ministry of Defence said the warehouse had been run by "members of organised crime," but did not give any further detail about the specifics of the group. Fentanyl is the most lethal type of opioid used in the United States, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Mexico's chequered progress against drug trafficking has been seen as a major sticking point for bilateral ties with the United States, where fentanyl pushed overdoses to record levels in 2021.

- Reuters

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