More than 100 tons of chemicals used in the production of methamphetamine have been seized by authorities at the Mexican Pacific port of Lazaro Cardenas. The shipment originated from Shanghai, China, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
This shipment was only the latest discovery of its kind sent from China in support of Mexico’s drug trade.
On December 8, Mexican customs officials intercepted 205 tons of drug-making chemicals in Lazaro Cardenas that were shipped from China.
-In September 2011, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency announced the seizure of 520 pounds of methylamine hydrochloride, the chief chemical component used in producing methamphetamine.
The shipment which was found at an air cargo facility at Los Angeles International Airport originated in China and was headed to Mexico.
A Drug Enforcement Agency official told Fox News that the amount of chemicals seized could have produced 330 pounds of methamphetamine, with a street value worth as much as $16 million.
-In August 2011, a shipment of gamma-Butyrolactone, the chief component used in manufacturing gamma-Hydroxybutrate, or the date-rape drug.
-In July 2011, Mexican officials seized 839 tons of methamphetamine precursors at a warehouse in the city of Queretaro.
-In February 2011, Mexican authorities seized over 23 tons of ethyl phenylacetate, which is also used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. The drug component was discovered at the Pacific port of Manzanillo.
-In April 2010, Mexican officials seized 80 tons of phenylacetic acid and its derivatives shipped from Shanghai, China.
Imports of ethyl phenylacetate require authorization from the country’s health ministry, so the shipments are intentionally mislabeled before leaving China.
Last year, an anonymous U.S. official told Reuters that between October and November 2010, Mexican authorities seized 818 tons of chemicals used in making crystal meth.
Due to rampant corruption among port officials, the cartels are allowed to receive large shipments of the chemicals from China which are transported to meth labs throughout Mexico.
The chemicals are used in a production process known as phenyl-2-propanone (P2P method), and cost much less than pseudoephedrine, thus increasing the cartels’ profits.
In 2009 alone, the Mexican police and military found 215 meth labs, a 400 percent increase of the labs discovered in 2008.
90 percent of the methamphetamine sold in the U.S. is brought into this country from Mexico and distributed by several street gangs such as the notoriously violent MS-13.
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