China’s role in the fentanyl crisis
BrookingsMar 31, 2023
DOJ: Cartel Allegedly Laundering Drug Money via Chinese 'Underground Banking'
Image copyright: Ian Waldie/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
The US Dept. of Justice (DOJ) claimed on Tuesday that members of Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel partnered with Chinese nationals operating underground money exchanges in Southern California to launder money from drug proceeds.
Dubbed "Operation Fortune Runner," the multi-year investigation found that the alleged network collected and processed over $50M in drug proceeds generated in the US to make them accessible to cartel members abroad.
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
China is deeply embedded in the deadly drug trade that costs the lives of countless Americans every year. Internal corruption and an antipathy to US cooperation have made the PRC a major source of synthetic opioid drugs, and it should come as no surprise that there are connections to money laundering for violent cartels. Beijing needs to clean house and crack down on this dangerous black market.
Pro-China narrative
This massive case could not have come together without the cooperation of Chinese authorities, which led to this impressive indictment. China is not the reason America has such a great demand for illicit drugs, but it will always step up to ensure its citizens are not involved in crime anywhere in the world. The world always benefits when the US ceases its provocations and cooperates in good faith with China.