The US government has over the years continued to fight drug cartels that has been supplying drugs to their US markets, and causing serious drug crisis for the country, including multiple deaths and crimes.
Basically, cartels from Mexico for many decades, right from the days of Pablo Escobar, continued to supply large quantity of hard drugs to different parts of the country. And hence, why US government has been spending heavily in their efforts and determination to end drug trafficking.
Now, fentanyl has become one of the most dangerous drug in the US, with such a towering fatality rate in recent times. This is the reason the US government has declared a war on all those involved in trafficking fantyl into the country.
And one of the leading target is the recently captured Mexican cartel leading figures, legendary septuagenarian trafficker identified as Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Guzman Lopez, who is one of four sons of El Chapo (currently serving life sentence in the US).
(The arrest of Zambada on Thursday)
Both were captured by federal agents on Thursday July 25, 2024, at the Dona Ana County International Jetport. The federal agents include the U.S Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
They are said to be the main supplier of fentanyl into the US, which has become a leading cause of deaths in US. The four sons of Joaquin El Chapo Guzman namely Joaquin, Ovidio (from same mother), and Ivan and his brother Jesus Alfredo (from same mother of El Chapo’s first marriage), and Zambada (their father’s long time business partner) and the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico are said to be the biggest suppliers (traffickers) of Fentanyl into the US.
Prior to the arrest of Zambada and Guzman Lopez by the U.S authorities, the duo were already placed under heavy bounties by the US authorities. For Zambada, the sum of $15 million reward was placed on him for his capture, while the sum of $5 million was placed as reward for the capture of Guzman Lopez.
And the two already have many indictments in the U.S all related to drug trafficking, and other criminal activities. In fact, Zambada has been on the wanted list of the US for many years now, as he and El Chapo, the biological father of Guzman Lopez, had co-founded the deadly Sinaloa cartel in Mexico some time in the 1980s.
Death Rates in US from Fentanyl:
Fentanyl which is primarily used as analgesic used in pain management for cancer patients and those who had undergone painful surgeries. But it is said to be between 20-40 times more powerful than heroin, and about 100 times more powerful (potent) than morphine.
But its abuse and overdose has become the leading cause of deaths for Americans, especially for people aged 18-45. Therefore, has become a huge threat to the country.
With US spending around $40 billion a year on drug war, the war is far from over yet, and with the US Drug Enforcement Administration seizing over 360 million deadly doses” of fentanyl in 2023, yet the drug remains easily available for purchase and consumption, and equally cheap.
Meanwhile, data from the US National Center for Health Statistics, shows that the country recorded about 218,572 deaths related to drug overdose in just two years; 111,029 in 2022 and 107,543 drug in 2023.
Meanwhile this said Fentanyl overdose resulted in over 150,000 deaths in just two year (74,702 in 2023 and 76,226) in 2022. Placing it far above cocaine, heroin and others. Hence why the US authorities declared a serious war on those responsible for the trafficking of fentanyl into the country.
Fentanyl is reportedly the leading cause of deaths among Americans more than any other health issues in recent years. About 300 Americans reportedly die from it on a daily, mostly age between 18-49, and equally affects Americans in the age of 50-65 as well.
With the capture of Guzman Lopez and Zambada, we are hoping the drug crisis in the U.S related to fentanyl will continue to decline, even though there are other sources associated with the supply into US like Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación are heavily involved as well, according to the US Department of State.
(Photo Credit: Google Photos)
