The United States and Mexico are jointly stepping up global efforts to end the fentanyl crisis

Mexico City, June 27, 2023 – Efforts against fentanyl must be global. The United States and Mexico are working together in this fight, promoting historic collaboration on both sides of the border to stop the fentanyl trade.

We note the Mexican government’s announcement that it had seized more than 1,700 kilograms of fentanyl in the first half of 2023.

In the United States, the Department of Justice (DOJ) made an unprecedented decision to indict Chinese companies and employees for trafficking fentanyl and its precursors to the United States and Mexico. The 200 kilograms of precursors seized from one of the companies the DOJ is targeting can produce enough fentanyl to kill 25 million people, almost the population of Mexico City and the state of Mexico combined.

As we have noted, efforts against transnational criminal organizations must be concerted, sustained and comprehensive. These cases embody the results of our collaboration. By phasing out these synthetic drugs and halting all phases of their illicit trade, we are protecting the lives of the people of the US and Mexico from this deadly drug, which is 100 times more potent than morphine.

The toxin from the precursors that make fentanyl makes its way not only to the United States and Mexico, but also to other parts of the world. To expand this global effort that we began in North America, Secretary of State Antony Blinken called a high-level meeting to work together on a global coalition to counter synthetic drug threats.

This coalition will serve to expand trilateral efforts between the United States, Mexico and Canada. As Mexico increasingly invests in strengthening the rule of law and deepening information-sharing mechanisms, the results in protecting our peoples from this deadly scourge and from criminals who threaten the well-being of our nations will be all the greater.