US Seizes Record 700,000 Pounds Meth Precursors from China to Mexico

U.S. authorities have seized the largest shipment of methamphetamine precursor chemicals in history, intercepting over 700,000 pounds of substances en route from China to the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico. The shipment, consisting of 1,300 barrels containing benzyl alcohol and N-Methylformamide, was intercepted on the high seas with assistance from foreign law enforcement partners, then brought to Houston. These chemicals could have produced approximately 420,000 pounds of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $569 million. The seizure is part of the Trump administration's intensified crackdown on drug cartels, which includes designating the Sinaloa Cartel as a foreign terrorist organization and authorizing military action against drug trafficking operations. U.S. officials, including Attorney Jeanine Pirro and ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, highlighted this effort as a critical strike against China's role in supplying precursors in what they describe as an undeclared war against America. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also pledged to increase actions against cartels while respecting Mexico's sovereignty.