FBI Director Kash Patel Seeks India’s Help Against China-Backed Fentanyl Supply
In a recent conversation with Indian officials, FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized the urgent need for collaboration to dismantle a global fentanyl supply chain linked to China. While India does not have significant fentanyl consumption, the country is increasingly becoming a transit point for chemical precursors used to manufacture fentanyl in Mexico.
India's Role as a Transit Hub
Patel highlighted on a popular podcast that fentanyl precursors are being shipped from China to India and then forwarded to Mexican drug cartels, where fentanyl is produced. “I literally just got off the phone with the Indian government… I said, I need your help. This stuff’s coming into your country and then they’re moving it from your country because India is not consuming fentanyl,” Patel explained.
China’s Evasion Tactics
The FBI head accused Chinese suppliers of deliberately routing chemical precursors through third countries like India to avoid direct enforcement and scrutiny. He described this as a calculated strategy by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) aimed at undermining the United States.
Patel pointed out that fentanyl-related deaths have been scarce in countries like India, England, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada — the Five Eyes intelligence partners — suggesting a targeted approach by China to impact the US population.
Joint FBI and Indian Law Enforcement Operations Underway
In response, the FBI has established direct channels with Indian authorities to clamp down on companies involved in the supply chain. Patel confirmed ongoing joint operations to identify, sanction, and arrest those responsible. “We’re going to find these companies that buy it and we’re going to shut them down,” he asserted.
Recent US indictments have implicated Indian chemical firms such as Vasudha Pharma Chem Limited, Raxuter Chemicals, and Athos Chemicals Pvt Ltd for allegedly supplying fentanyl precursors to US and Mexican markets.
Personal Ties and Strategic Importance
As the son of Gujarati immigrants, Patel’s outreach to India carries both personal resonance and strategic significance. He stressed that India is not the problem but could become one without proactive steps.
Expanding Trafficking Routes
Mexican drug cartels have reportedly shifted some trafficking activities to Canada, using Vancouver as a manufacturing and distribution hub. Patel noted, “They’re flying it into Vancouver, taking the precursors up to Canada, manufacturing it there, and running global distribution from that base.”
Fentanyl Crisis: A National Security Threat
Patel underlined that China’s involvement in fentanyl trafficking isn’t for profit. Instead, it serves as a strategic weapon. With over 74,000 synthetic opioid deaths in the US in 2023, he labeled fentanyl as a “tier one national security threat.”
He warned that while the finished fentanyl product has not yet been extensively deployed in certain allied countries, including India, it is only a matter of time. The CCP is “just waiting to deploy” it, according to Patel.
The call for heightened cooperation with India signals a crucial step in battling the devastating fentanyl epidemic by disrupting its upstream supply and manufacturing channels.
