Minsu Fang, Fentanyl Importation, Texas 2023

A Chinese national has been charged with importing enough fentanyl precursors to kill millions of Americans, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas.

Minsu Fang, 48, also known as Fernando, was indicted on four counts: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance for purpose of unlawful importation, conspiracy to import a controlled substance, and conspiracy to export a controlled substance.

The indictment alleges that Fang and his associates shipped over 2,000 kilograms of fentanyl precursor chemicals from China into the United States and on to Mexico in approximately 100 separate shipments between August and October 2023.

Fang and his co-conspirators allegedly avoided law enforcement interdiction of the shipments by declaring them to have a de minimis value, less than $800, and commingling the boxes containing the precursor chemicals with similarly low-valued import items.

As a result, each of the shipments were allegedly admitted into the United States without a detailed inspection of the individual contents. Once in the United States, Fang, through co-conspirators, shipped the chemicals into Mexico, according to the charges.

If convicted, Fang faces a maximum penalty of life in prison on each count, as well as a $10 million fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The DEA and HSI investigated the case, with the charges being announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/chinese-national-indicted-importation-enough-chemicals-make-millions-fatal-doses-fentanyl