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Treasury Department sanctions Chinese companies, Mexican individuals as ‘enablers’ to fentanyl crisis

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The Biden administration is taking action against perpetrators of the overwhelming fentanyl crisis in the United States. In a statement released Tuesday, the Treasury Department announced it has “sanctioned several individuals and entities in China and Mexico that are supporting the fentanyl crisis in the U.S.”

“Treasury’s sanctions target every stage of the deadly supply chain fueling the surge in fentanyl poisonings and deaths across the country,” Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said in the sanctions announcement. “Counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl constitute a leading cause of these deaths, devastating thousands of American families each year. We remain committed to using all authorities against enablers of illicit drug production to disrupt this deadly global production and counter the threat posed by these drugs.”

The Daily Caller News Foundation reports that the sanctions targeted Youli Technology Development Co., Ltd. (尤里科技发展有限公司) (Youli) along with three Youli-affiliated Chinese nationals, Guo Chunyan (郭春艳), Guo Yunnian (郭运年), and Guo Ruiguang (郭瑞光), all located in Huizhou, China, for supplying pill presses to individuals in the U.S.

The sanctions also targeted Tdpmolds, an online business controlled by Zhao Dongdong (赵冬冬) (Zhao), a Chinese national in Yantai, China., Chinese nationals and entities Zhao, Pan Hao (潘昊) (Pan), Yantai Yixun International Trade Co., Ltd. (烟台易迅国际贸易有限公司) (Yantai Yixun) and Yantai Mei Xun Trade Co., Ltd. (烟台美讯商贸有限公司) (Yantai Mei Xun).

Tdpmolds supplied pill presses and dies for counterfeit pill production operations in the U.S., according to the Treasury Department. Pan sold some of Tdpmolds’ products in 2019 and 2020 to U.S. counterfeit pill manufacturers, and Yantai Yixun provided equipment to U.S. manufacturers of scheduled drugs.

Mexican individuals who received sanctions include Mario Ernesto Martinez Trevizo (Martinez), Cinthia Adriana Rodriguez Almeida (Rodriguez) and Ernesto Alonso Macias Trevizo (Macias). Martinez managed a pill press operation in Mexico, which Macias also worked for, with ties to the notorious Sinaloa cartel and worked with Yason electronics, which supplied pill presses and molds for counterfeit pills. Rodriguez held a senior position with a pill press supplier also tied to Yason electronics.

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China

Pentagon Report Reveals China’s Rapid Nuclear Expansion, Doubling Previous U.S. Estimates

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China’s nuclear arsenal has surged to over 500 warheads—more than double the previous U.S. estimate—according to a newly released Pentagon intelligence report. This “rapid expansion” is raising alarm among U.S. officials as Beijing aggressively accelerates its military capabilities and steps up hostilities toward allied states in the Pacific.

The Daily Caller News Foundation reports that in 2020, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessed that China had amassed roughly 200 nuclear warheads and projected that the count could reach 400 by 2030. But the latest findings show China has already far exceeded that estimate, and the Pentagon now believes China could have over 1,000 operational warheads by 2030.

According to the report, China’s current nuclear build-up represents the most rapid and ambitious modernization effort in its history, indicating the nation’s long-term strategy for sustained competition with the U.S. and signaling an operational readiness for intensified strategic concepts. China’s arsenal, composed of various nuclear warheads, can be launched from a range of platforms, including submarines, ground-mobile systems, and aircraft. The DIA report also notes that China is building additional facilities for the production of fissile materials to further scale up its nuclear arsenal.

The report suggests that China remains committed to a “no first use” nuclear policy—meaning it would only launch a nuclear strike in retaliation. However, China’s “launch-on-warning” policy enables it to strike back preemptively if it detects an incoming attack.

“China is fielding new nuclear capabilities at a faster pace than at any time in its history,” the DIA report reads, emphasizing the military’s objective to achieve parity with the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Despite Beijing’s statements about maintaining a defensive posture, the Pentagon warns that China’s rapid nuclear advancements could lead to an increased risk of miscalculation.

The Pentagon report highlights China’s growing capability and confidence, suggesting that Beijing’s bolstered nuclear deterrence over the next decade could embolden its leaders. This, in turn, increases the risk of miscalculations and escalations as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) builds up the capability to counter the U.S. across various domains.

A spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. downplayed concerns, pointing to America’s extensive nuclear arsenal as a primary security risk. “China is committed to a defensive nuclear strategy and a policy of ‘no first use’ of nuclear weapons and keeps our nuclear capabilities at the minimum level required by national security,” the spokesperson told the DCNF.

The report also reflects a lack of transparency in U.S.-China relations, with military talks largely suspended since 2022 and only resuming recently. This limited communication between the nations further fuels apprehension within the international community.

China’s nuclear expansion aligns with its broader military ambitions under President Xi Jinping, who has ordered the PLA to be prepared for a possible invasion of Taiwan by 2027. Although the U.S. maintains a “strategic ambiguity” policy toward Taiwan—meaning it does not disclose how it would respond to a Chinese invasion—the potential for conflict has heightened as China’s military power grows.

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