Chinese police cracked a fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking case, detaining 19 suspects based on tips from the United States, said the Ministry of Public Security Thursday.
Following leads from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and police in south China's Guangdong Province, police detained 19 suspects in Hebei, Jiangsu, Shanghai and Zhejiang during two raids in November and December, the ministry statement said.
One underground fentanyl factory and two trading locations of psychoactive substances were discovered, and 4.7 kg of fentanyl along with over 20 kg of other psychoactive substances and 150 kg of raw materials were confiscated, the ministry said.
Fentanyl, also spelled fentanil, is used to help ease pain during surgery and other medical operations. Overdoses caused by the opioid have surged and become a serious drug problem.
