Associated Press
Chemicals for possible fentanyl production seized in Arizona
U.S. agents in southern Arizona said Thursday they seized up to 440 pounds (about 200 kilograms) of what they suspect is a precursor chemical often used to manufacture the dangerous drug fentanyl, a chilling sign that producers may be moving to manufacture the deadly synthetic opioid on American soil. The powdered chemical was being transported by agents Thursday morning from a residence and warehouse in Tucson, where it had been sent in recent months in a series of suspicious packages from China that did not identify their contents, said Leo Lamas, the deputy special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations in Tucson. “If criminal entrepreneurs start producing fentanyl here, it could become a frightening situation for the United States,” said Mike Vigil, former head of international operations for the Drug Enforcement Administration.
