By Martin Shwenk Leade

Copyright indiatimes

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Wednesday sanctioned two Indian nationals, Sadiq Abbas Habib Sayyed and Khizar Mohammad Iqbal Shaikh, for their role in “collectively supplying hundreds of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills filled with fentanyl and other illicit drugs to victims across the United States.” OFAC is also designated one India-based online pharmacy for its role in these criminal operations, as per the statement.“Too many families have been torn apart by fentanyl. Today, we are acting to hold accountable those who profit from this poison,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley. “Treasury will continue to advance President Trump’s commitment to Make America Fentanyl Free by targeting drug traffickers.”Fentanyl has been the primary driver of the synthetic opioid crisis, which is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans. Opioid overdose remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45. Under the U.S.-India Drug Policy Framework, the United States and India continue to work together to fight the devastating impact of illicit drugs and to put an end to the global drug threat by combating drug trafficking, improving public health, and strengthening global supply chains.Live EventsIn the last few years, online suppliers of controlled substances, including from India, have contributed to the fentanyl crisis by supplying illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, as well as related precursor chemicals, to the United States, according to OFAC. Separately, Mexican cartels acquire precursor chemicals from these online suppliers for use in their clandestine fentanyl laboratories, it added.”Today’s action spotlights the role of illegal online pharmacies, some of which are based in India, that are responsible for supplying counterfeit pills to individuals worldwide, including U.S. consumers. These pills frequently resemble brand name and generic medication. U.S. consumers, believing they are purchasing from legitimate pharmacies, fall victim to the dangerous operations of these deceptive pharmacies. Instead of delivering the safe products they are marketing to buyers, these illegal online pharmacies work with drug traffickers to fulfill orders with counterfeit pills, which are often laced with illicit synthetic drugs.”Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
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