By Alicia Gutiérrez | 2023-09-25

QUITO -- The rapid proliferation of fentanyl across Latin America has put authorities on high alert, as they fear a significant rise in the number of overdose-related deaths caused by this highly addictive synthetic opioid.

Its precursors are sourced from China and are now making their way to Latin America.

Fentanyl, produced cheaply in laboratories, has flooded the streets of the United States, causing an epidemic with lethal consequences, and is now being found in Latin America.

In various Latin American countries, it is infamous as the "zombie drug," and numerous videos circulate on Ecuadoran social networks depicting individuals who have seemingly used this highly addictive opioid lying incapacitated on the sidewalks of Guayaquil.

The Municipality of Guayaquil and addiction specialists confirm that illegally produced fentanyl, often blended with other substances, is already being distributed and consumed in Ecuador.

Moreover, they issued a warning about the severe repercussions this could have on the country's health system.

In remarks to Entorno, Ecuadoran medical toxicologist César José D'Pool explained that the alarming levels of addiction associated with this substance have raised significant concerns since its recent emergence.

“We know that this drug induces a potent and swift addiction, surpassing even heroin or morphine due to its strong analgesic effect. It alleviates pain, propelling consumers into a state of pleasure that subsequently culminates in severe consequences,” he explained.

The doctor emphasized the challenge posed by the swift proliferation of this substance in the public hospital system, not only in Ecuador but also across all countries in the region.

“In our Latin American countries, we encounter challenges in both diagnosing and treating addictions. It is frequently not handled by multidisciplinary medical teams... There's a notable risk of overdoses, and patients arriving at emergency centers often lack accessible antidotes,” he noted.

D'Pool cautioned that ensuring the adequacy of the hospital network and providing training to health professionals are of paramount importance in tackling this pressing public health issue.

Unveiling a latent threat

While Ecuadoran Minister of Public Health José Ruales refutes the presence of patients in hospitals due to this drug's consumption, doctors from the Citizen Action for Attention and Prevention of Drug Consumption program maintain that the drug is indeed circulating in Ecuador, expressing concerns about a potential "imminent disaster."

They emphasize that fentanyl has the potential to claim up to 150 lives a day in the South American country.

In Colombia, President Gustavo Petro has unveiled a plan to mitigate the risks linked to opiate consumption. Specialized sites will be established in areas near bars and party clubs to detect whether the psychoactive substances consumed contain traces of fentanyl.

Cartels tend to adulterate other drugs with fentanyl because of its highly addictive nature.

"I am going to issue a directive mandating bars and party venues to set up public health stations equipped with devices capable of detecting fentanyl," Petro declared during his address at the IV International Congress against fentanyl trafficking, chemical substances and new psychoactive substances, conducted on September 14 in the city of Medellín.

As per Semana magazine, concerns regarding the improper use of fentanyl were initially raised in August 2022 in Bogotá and Cartagena. During the same year, the Ministry of Justice released a report from the National Institute of Legal Medicine confirming five deaths linked to non-prescribed opioid consumption.

According to an article published on September 16 in that media outlet, it is becoming increasingly common to discover packages containing the opioid in Colombian ports and airports, sent from abroad.

According to Argentine Drug Observatory statistics compiled by the Ámbito portal, there were 24 recorded deaths in Argentina resulting from an overdose of cocaine adulterated with fentanyl between 2017 and 2019.

National Gendarmerie personnel seized 500 vials of fentanyl in the Argentine province of Misiones. The drugs were discovered in a truck transporting parcels bound for Buenos Aires.

The discovery of the opioid in Argentina last July raised concerns in Uruguay.

Héctor Suárez, the director of the Uruguayan Drug Observatory, mentioned to the magazine Búsqueda that Uruguay is on high "alert" regarding the potential risks of fentanyl. As a result, it has increased surveillance and vigilance for any potential arrival of fentanyl.

New passage routes

The interception of 499 vials of fentanyl by the Salvadoran National Civil Police's Anti-Narcotics Division on August 4, at the Honduran-Salvadoran border, shed light on the utilization of these two countries, along with Guatemala, by Mexican cartels.

It appears they use this route to receive precursors from China for fentanyl production.

Increased controls on fentanyl precursor entry in Mexican ports have compelled Mexican cartels to turn their attention southward. Consequently, Guatemala has emerged as one of the primary arrival points for these chemical substances sourced from China.

As reported by the Infobae portal, Guatemala's Ministry of the Interior revealed on March 23 a significant discovery at the Puerto Barrios port terminal in Izabal. Four containers were found to contain chemicals essential in the synthesis of fentanyl.

Personnel from the Guatemalan General Subdirectorate of Anti-Drug Information Analysis confirmed that the containers did not originate from China; instead, they arrived in Guatemala from Turkey, with prior transit through France and Colombia.

Much like Guatemala's rise as a transit route for fentanyl precursor trafficking, Turkey is increasingly being identified as a hub for both cocaine and Chinese fentanyl trafficking, as highlighted in a report by Homeland Security Today.

Fentanyl manufacturing

Chinese smugglers used to ship completed fentanyl to the United States, but changing circumstances created a market niche for Mexican drug labs.

"In May 2019, under pressure from the U.S., China put fentanyl-related drugs under a controlled regulatory regime," the Wall Street Journal reported in August 2022.

"The next year, seizures of fentanyl from China in the U.S. dropped sharply, according to a Government Accountability Office report," it continued.

"Mexican drug cartels stepped in to fill the vacuum," the Washington Post reported last December.

Chinese fentanyl producers have found the distribution networks of Mexican cartels to be the perfect intermediary since they have the experience needed to bring the opioid to US streets.

Since then, the cartels have established a solid commercial relationship with Chinese mafias.

Jalisco Nueva Generación, the largest-growing cartel in the last decade, has specialized in manufacturing fentanyl through clandestine laboratories spread among various regions of Mexico.

Once Chinese precursor chemicals have entered Central America and are moved to Mexico and manufacturing of the pills is complete, the process of sending them to the United States begins.

Now, the cartels are actively seeking new markets for the drug within Latin America.