(LibertyInsider.org) – The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is directly contributing to the Fentanyl crisis in the US, according to a new report. The report, first published by a House Select Committee on China (HSCC) on April 15, accuses the PRC of issuing grants, tax rebates, and other incentives to known manufacturers who export the drug to the US.
Members of the committee launched an investigation into China’s alleged role in the crisis shortly after the HSCC first convened in January 2023. During the course of that ongoing inquiry, they were able to identify and access PRC-owned websites, documents, and databases containing information about tax rebates and subsidies for manufacturers producing fentanyl precursors.
The Chinese Communist Party uses tax rebates to subsidize the manufacturing and export of fentanyl materials, a House panel said in a report released Tuesday. https://t.co/YSBvp8F7RA
— NBC News (@NBCNews) April 16, 2024
While subsidies and other breaks for drug manufacturers are common, even in the US, they are typically aimed at minimizing the cost of prescription drugs or funding research. However, the House Select Committee on China (HSCC) uncovered a disturbing trend during its investigation: nearly all of the PRC’s incentive programs for drug manufacturers were only available to those selling precursors to other countries, including the US.
The report also blasts the PRC for holding ownership stakes in companies directly involved in drug trafficking, including at least one prison notorious for violating human rights. Members believe China’s government purposefully and strategically allows producers to advertise and sell illicit narcotics online while simultaneously censoring content related to domestic sales.
Chinese organized crime rings with direct ties to the CCP are also allegedly benefiting from this selective and lackadaisical approach to enforcement. The Select Committee reportedly identified multiple examples of PRC security services refusing to take action on known traffickers or, in some cases, even notifying entities targeted for investigation by the US.
In his opening remarks at a follow-up hearing on April 16, Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-WI) drew direct parallels between China’s lack of action and the crisis. “Through its actions, the Chinese Communist Party is [informing] us that it wants more fentanyl [pouring into] our country,” he said. He claimed the country wanted to see “more dead Americans.”
The fentanyl epidemic continues to spiral to pose a major problem in 2024. In fact, over 112,000 Americans died as a direct result of overdoses on the synthetic opiate in 2023 alone. It is now the leading cause of death in the US for people ages 18 to 45.
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