Fentanyl Pipeline: How a Chinese Prison Helped Fuel a Deadly Drug Crisis in the United States

China's Shijiazhuang prison in Hebei province has a secret: it is a key player in the global fentanyl trafficking pipeline, according to a US congressional investigation. The prison owned a chemical company called Yafeng, which sold fentanyl products to Americans through English-language websites. Despite China's strict laws against fentanyl production and sale, the country remains the world's leading producer of fentanyl and chemical precursors used to make the drug. Over 450,000 Americans have died from fentanyl-related overdoses in the past decade. US investigators say the Chinese government's role in the fentanyl crisis is more than just passive complicity, but Beijing denies any involvement. The Yafeng case shows how China allows its chemical industry to engage in illegal sales to overseas customers while blocking domestic access and enforcing strict laws against drug dealing inside the country. US national security officials say China's antidrug cooperation has been persistently poor, and the country remains the base of global organized crime groups that launder billions for fentanyl traffickers. The Chinese government's decision not to take action against fentanyl trafficking could be seen as tacit support, according to some officials. The US has imposed tariffs on Chinese imports to pressure Beijing to take action, but it's unclear if this approach will be effective. To respond effectively, the US needs a clearer picture of the Chinese fentanyl underworld, and the Shijiazhuang prison's activities are a compelling case study.