From Surat To US Fentanyl Crisis: Gujarat Chemical Supply Chain Under Scrutiny

A growing international investigation into the US fentanyl crisis has put Gujarat’s chemical industry, particularly businesses linked to Surat, under renewed scrutiny. US authorities have taken action against companies and individuals connected to the supply of chemical ingredients used by Mexican drug-trafficking networks to manufacture fentanyl.

The developments point to a complex supply chain in which chemicals are moved through legitimate-looking commercial channels before being diverted for illegal drug production. Investigators say that as China tightened controls on several key chemicals, trafficking networks increasingly looked towards India for alternative sources.

At the centre of this emerging trail is Gujarat, one of India’s largest chemical manufacturing hubs.

Fentanyl itself has important legitimate medical uses. It is a powerful opioid used in controlled settings for severe pain, including during cancer treatment and surgery.

The concern is with illegally manufactured fentanyl and related substances. Even very small quantities of illicit fentanyl can be extremely dangerous, making the drug a major contributor to overdose deaths in the US.