Press Release - Biden-Harris Administration Continues to Combat Illegal Drug Trafficking to Keep American Communities Safe

President Biden has made combatting the opioid crisis a key part of his Unity Agenda and has taken several actions to reduce both the supply of fentanyl and negative health outcomes associated with illicit fentanyl and other illicit substances. The President's National Drug Control Strategy is focused on cracking down on the production, sale, and trafficking of illicit fentanyl to help save lives, protect the public health, and improve the public safety of our communities.

This week, the White House continued to take action to combat the trafficking of illicit synthetic drugs. On Tuesday, the White House announced a strengthened whole-of-government approach to save lives by disrupting the trafficking of illicit fentanyl and its precursors into American communities. On Wednesday, the United States designated fentanyl adulterated or associated with xylazine as an emerging threat to the United States. On Thursday, Homeland Security Advisor Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall held a bilateral meeting with her Mexican counterparts and a trilateral meeting with her Mexican and Canadian counterparts to guide priority actions to address the illicit fentanyl threat facing North America. And on Friday, the Department of Justice, Treasury Department, and State Department took unprecedented action against a global illicit fentanyl network and the Department of Homeland Security announced that Operation Blue Lotus has stopped over 4,000 pounds of fentanyl at ports of entry in its first month.

Read coverage below:

ABC: White House unveils initiative to target fentanyl supply chain with international partners
[Ben Gittleson, Kevin Shalvey, 4/11/23]

The effort will aim to "prevent illicit drug manufacturing, detect emerging drug threats, disrupt trafficking, address illicit finance, and respond to public safety and public health impacts," the White House said.

The rollout includes cooperation with international governments, which were unnamed in a fact sheet released on Tuesday.

The initiative will also include a strengthening of the "coordination and information-sharing among U.S. intelligence and domestic law enforcement agencies" to break up drug trafficking networks, the administration said.

CNN: Biden administration announces broad effort targeting production and distribution of illicit fentanyl
[Jacqueline Howard, 4/12/23]

"Xylazine is one of the contaminants in fentanyl, but there could be others," Gupta said. "So, I think with the declaration of an emerging threat, we're sending a clear message to producers and traffickers of illicit xylazine and illicit fentanyl that we're going to respond quicker, we're going to match the challenge of evolution of these drugs supply, and that we're going to protect lives first and foremost."

Politico: White House announces new sanctions to combat fentanyl trafficking
[Matt Berg, 4/11/23]

The United States will widen its efforts to crack down on the fentanyl crisis, announcing new sanctions targeting drug traffickers on Tuesday.

In a fact sheet outlining the administration's efforts to combat the opioid epidemic, the White House said it will increase sanctions and other measures against targets to stymie drug traffickers' access to the U.S. financial system and illicit financial flows.

"The nature of these drugs, and their ease of access and potency, presents a national security, public safety, and public health threat," the White House said in a statement.

Herald-Dispatch Editorial Board (West Virginia statewide): Gupta outlines steps to address xylazine abuse
[Jim Ross, 4/13/23]

"We understand the urgency very clearly. The fact is it's affecting people every single day. This is why the priority is to make sure that we increase our testing as quickly as possible. We're moving very quickly on that one," [Dr. Gupta] said.

As testing for the presence of xylazine increases, more data will be submitted, Gupta said. Also being developed are treatments and protocols for users who sometimes are suffering severe withdrawals, he said.

"Is it being diverted mostly from manufacturers' sites or distributors, or is it being synthesized, or is it both, and how do we start to attack the supply piece?" he said. "It's important for us to stop the illegitimate use of this drug while not compromising the legitimate use. Then finally (is) the research piece we need, both for antidote as well as drug treatment for xylazine."

WTVF (ABC Nashville, TN): White House announces crackdown on fentanyl supply chain
[Brianna Hamblin, 4/14/23]

More than 2,700 Tennesseans died from an overdose involving fentanyl in 2021 according to the Tennessee Department of Health

Now, the White House is cracking down on the deadly drug, saying it is not just a national security threat, it is a global threat.

The goal is to cripple the whole supply chain.

The Administration is also making a point to increase public health initiatives to save the lives of people struggling with addiction, like increasing the availability of naloxone, making addiction treatment more accessible for everyone, and educating young people on the effects of fentanyl.

Houston Public Media (NPR Texas): Biden administration says fentanyl-xylazine cocktail is a deadly national threat
[Brian Mann, 4/12/23]

In the coming months, the Biden administration's response is expected to include more testing to identify where xylazine is prevalent in the street drug supply.

Gupta also called for increased funding for research to find medical treatments for people affected.

He said it's also likely the government will consider further regulations for xylazine, which is used legally by veterinarians as an animal tranquilizer.

Wisconsin Public Radio: Biden administration says fentanyl-xylazine cocktail is a deadly national threat
[Brian Mann, 4/12/23]

The U.S. government issued a grave new warning Wednesday about a cocktail of illegal street drugs made of fentanyl and xylazine that's fueling another wave of American overdose deaths.

"I'm deeply concerned about what this threat means for the nation," said Dr. Rahul Gupta, head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Speaking with reporters ahead of today's public announcement, Gupta said the Biden administration will formally notify Congress about the public health threat and will then roll out a plan to combat the crisis over the next 90 days.

"This is the first time in our nation's history that a substance is being designated as an emerging threat by any administration," Gupta said.

Gupta has been on the front lines of the opioid-fentanyl epidemic for decades as drug overdoses surged above 100,000 deaths a year.

Staten Island Alive: White House labels animal sedative xylazine 'an emerging threat' to U.S.
[Joseph Ostapiuk, 4/12/23]

President Joe Biden's administration on Wednesday designated xylazine, an animal sedative penetrating drug supplies and complicating efforts to reverse opioid overdoses, as "an emerging threat to the United States."

The shift comes after the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy said it was tracking the use and effects of the drug, which is also known under the street labels tranq, the zombie drug and sleep-cut. Federal regulators issued an alert late last year warning health professionals to be on alert for xylazine.

The public declaration will jumpstart a process to publish a government-wide response, including evidence-based prevention, treatment and supply reduction. The Office of National Drug Control Policy said it is convening an interagency working group to develop the national plan.

News Nation: Biden administration warns of dangers of tranq
[Stephanie Whiteside, 4/12/23]

"It is a dangerous drug, it was never meant to be used for human consumption. And when xylazine gets mixed up with fentanyl, which is the case in so many places today, it can really cause severe and life-threatening impact that includes lowering your breathing your heart rate as well as blood pressure to unsafe levels," Gupta explained.

[…]

Because there are legitimate veterinary and agricultural uses of xylazine, which is typically used as a sedative for pets and livestock, Gupta said the goal is to divert xylazine from the streets without interrupting legal supply and uses of the substance.

Beyond removing supply, Gupta said there is a focus on prevention, including increasing resources for substance use disorder treatment and increasing the availability of tests to understand how widespread the drug has become.

Scripps: Fentanyl laced with animal tranquilizer 'emerging threat' in US
[Scripps News Staff, 4/12/23]

The Biden administration warns that fentanyl-laced with the animal tranquilizer xylazine is an "emerging threat" in the U.S.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy director says the tranquilizer is increasingly being sold as synthetic opioids on the black market, and the mixture has turned up in nearly every state. "DEA has seized xylazine and fentanyl mixtures in 48 of 50 states. The DEA Laboratory System is reporting that in 2022, approximately 23% of fentanyl powder and 7% of fentanyl pills seized by the DEA contained xylazine," the Drug Enforcement Administration said.

Philly Voice: White House gives xylazine unprecedented 'emerging threat' designation
[Michael Tanenbaum, 4/12/23]

The White House took urgent action Wednesday to declare the veterinary tranquilizer xylazine an "emerging threat," marking the first time the federal government has used that designation to mount a response to a life-threatening drug.

"I am deeply troubled about the devastating impact of the fentanyl-xylazine combination, and as President Biden's drug policy advisor, I am immensely concerned about what this threat means for the Nation," said Rahul Gupta, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

[…]

The Biden administration said national overdose deaths have flattened or declined for seven months straight, but the complications presented by xylazine are regarded as growing threats to that progress.

"By declaring xylazine combined with fentanyl as an emerging threat, we are being proactive in our approach to save lives and creating new tools for public health and public safety officials and communities across the nation," Gupta said.

KKTV (CBS Colorado Springs, CO): Biden administration announces fentanyl laced with xylazine, also known as 'tranq,' an 'emerging threat'
[Tony Keith, 4/12/23]

According to government agencies, xylazine has been increasingly detected in mixtures of illegal drugs, also being detected in a growing number of overdose deaths. xylazine is a non-opiate sedative, analgesic, and muscle relaxant only authorized in the United States for veterinary use according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Xylazine is reportedly being mixed with fentanyl, cocaine, heroin and a variety of other drugs.

"As a physician, I am deeply troubled about the devastating impact of the fentanyl-xylazine combination, and as President Biden's drug policy advisor, I am immensely concerned about what this threat means for the Nation," said Dr. Rahul Gupta. "That's why the Biden-Harris Administration is using this designation authority for the first time since it passed Congress in 2018. By declaring xylazine combined with fentanyl as an emerging threat, we are being proactive in our approach to save lives and creating new tools for public health and public safety officials and communities across the Nation. To parents, loved ones, community leaders, and those affected by xylazine use: I want you to know that help is on the way."

Univision: US Accuses 28 Sinaloa Cartel Members, Including 'Los Chapitos,' Heirs to 'El Chapo' Guzman
[Staff, 4/14/23]

[TRANSLATED FROM SPANISH] The U.S. Justice Department on Friday filed charges against 28 members of the powerful Sinaloa Cartel, including the sons of drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, as part of a wide-ranging investigation into fentanyl trafficking.

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the charges along with Drug Enforcement Administration Director Anne Milgram and other top federal prosecutors.

[…]

In detailing the charges, Garland described the violence of the Sinaloa cartel and how its members have tortured those they consider their rivals, including Mexican police officers. In some cases, cartel members have also thrown victims, some still alive, into tigers of Guzman's children, according to Garland.

EFE Agencia: U.S. sanctions four Chinese and one Guatemalan for fentanyl trafficking
[Staff, 4/14/23]

[TRANSLATED FROM SPANISH] The United States today sanctioned five people residing in China and Guatemala for supplying precursor chemicals to drug cartels in Mexico for the production of illicit fentanyl destined for the US market and offered up to 10 million for information leading to their arrest.
The Treasury Department accuses Ana Gabriela Rubio Zea, based in Guatemala, of using her experience and contacts to guarantee the supply of these precursors without being detected by Customs officials in Mexico and other countries.

[…]

Another of those sanctioned is Yao Huatao, owner of the company WSBT, which the United States considers responsible for the sale of fentanyl precursor chemicals.