Fentanyl in America: Geography of a Crisis

Fentanyl is an addictive synthetic opioid, up to fifty times stronger than heroin.

Half of all US fentanyl seizures have occurred in Arizona , which has a 372-mile border with Mexico .

Most illegal fentanyl is produced by Mexico ’s Sinaloa Cartel , the most powerful cartel in the world, and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel .

On 26 November , Trump threatened to put 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada unless they secure their borders.

On 5 December, two weeks after Trump ’s remarks, Mexico announced its biggest fentanyl seizure in history, over one tonne of fentanyl pills confiscated by Mexican soldiers and marines.

Rice University border expert Tony Payan says Sheinbaum has viewed fentanyl as primarily a US problem rather than a Mexican problem.

Illegal fentanyl is now killing 200 Americans a day, 70,000 each year .

Illegal fentanyl trafficking networks combine Mexican drug cartels, Chinese chemical manufacturers and banks, and American drug dealers.

Fentanyl is sold in many forms, from pills and powder to bars that resemble street chalk.

Just two milligrammes of fentanyl can kill a person.