FBI working with India to disrupt China-backed Fentanyl network: Kash Patel on Joe Rogan Podcast

The United States is intensifying its efforts to disrupt a global fentanyl network backed by China, as FBI Director Kash Patel revealed in a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.

According to Patel, the US is collaborating with Indian law enforcement to dismantle this network, which uses India as a transit point for chemical precursors manufactured in China and routed to Mexican drug cartels. "They’re going to places like India, and I’m also doing operations in India," Patel stated, highlighting the strategic importance of India in these operations.

Patel accused Chinese suppliers of strategically routing precursors through countries like India to evade enforcement. This, he claimed, is part of a deliberate campaign by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to target the US population.

"You don’t hear fentanyl deaths in India. You don’t really hear fentanyl deaths in England, Australia, New Zealand, or Five Eyes partners in Canada," he said, accusing the CCP of using fentanyl as a weapon against the US.

The FBI has established direct contact with Indian authorities to tackle the issue of fentanyl precursors transiting through India. "I literally just got off the phone with the Indian government," Patel said, emphasizing the importance of this collaboration. "We’re going to find these companies that buy it and we’re going to shut them down." Joint operations are underway to sanction and arrest those involved, both in the U.S. and India.

Several Indian chemical manufacturers have been named in U.S. indictments, including Vasudha Pharma Chem Limited, which has been charged with conspiring to send fentanyl precursors to the U.S. and Mexico. Two other companies, Raxuter Chemicals and Athos Chemicals Pvt Ltd, face similar charges. Patel noted that these operations are essential to prevent India from becoming a larger part of the problem.

Patel also highlighted the shifting dynamics of drug trafficking, citing that Mexican cartels have moved some operations to Canada, using Vancouver as a new distribution hub. "They’re flying it into Vancouver," he explained, noting that this change was a response to effective enforcement efforts in the south.

The fentanyl crisis is a significant national security concern for the US, with Patel estimating over 74,000 deaths due to synthetic opioids in 2023 alone. He stressed that China's involvement is not financially driven but strategically motivated, aiming to weaken the U.S. "They’re not making a ton of money off it," he said, underscoring the geopolitical stakes involved.