In a recent disclosure by a senior White House official, as part of the new measures to address the opioid crisis in the United States, President Joe Biden called for increased penalties for drug traffickers and stricter control over pill presses and importers on Wednesday (July 31).
For President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is expected to receive the Democratic presidential nomination, illegal fentanyl remains a persistent challenge. Fentanyl overdoses have become a leading cause of death among Americans aged 18-45, with over 107,000 Americans dying from drug overdoses in 2023.
This deadly narcotic is easily manufactured using chemicals from China and then, typically trafficked into the US across the loosely regulated US-Mexico border.
The unnamed White House official informed Reuters that Biden stated he will direct federal agencies to intensify intelligence gathering and coordinate with the private sector to combat drug trafficking.
Biden will also call on Congress to pass legislation requiring registration of pill presses nationwide that can be used in drug production, increase penalties for traffickers, impose stricter regulations on materials associated with fentanyl production, and require more information from small-package importers to customs officials.
In a statement, Biden said, “Now is the time to take action, and it is time to come together to save more lives.”
As part of efforts to improve US-China relations made during negotiations with Chinese President Xi Jinping last year, Biden has agreed to collaborate with the Chinese (CCP) government on drug control.
A delegation of Chinese senior officials will meet with the Biden administration this Wednesday to continue dialogue on enhancing control over fentanyl chemicals and addressing issues related to Chinese drug trade financing.
The anonymous White House official stated, “We are well aware that there is still much to be done by the People’s Republic of China.”
Biden-Harris has faced criticism from Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump regarding irregular border crossings at the Mexico border. Biden administration officials pushed back on the criticisms, accusing Republicans of stifling a bipartisan agreement that could have increased border patrol resources to combat drug trafficking.
The US government has long alleged that China exports large quantities of fentanyl and other deadly drugs to the US, a claim denied by the Chinese government.
According to a report from the US House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, the Chinese government provides subsidies to enterprises openly selling illegal synthetic drugs. The report found tens of thousands of posts online advertising illegal drugs and precursor chemicals. It stated that state-owned enterprises are involved in drug smuggling, but the Chinese government has consistently denied knowledge of such illegal drug transactions.
According to BBC reports, Europol stated that China is the world’s largest producer and seller of synthetic drugs in clandestine labs, with some drugs mimicking the effects of traditional drugs like marijuana or cocaine. Dr. Louise Shelley, Director of the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center at George Mason University, said, “It is entrepreneurial crime within legal frameworks, which is indeed unique.”