Two Indian Companies Indicted in U.S. for Fentanyl Ingredient Smuggling

Two Indian chemical companies, Athos Chemicals and Raxuter Chemicals, have been indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice for allegedly importing precursor ingredients used in the manufacturing of the potent opioid fentanyl into the United States and Mexico. The companies, both located in Gujarat, faced charges in Brooklyn for distributing these chemicals and for conspiracy to distribute.

Raxuter's senior executive, Bhavesh Lathiya, has been charged with additional offenses including smuggling and introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. Lathiya was arrested in New York and is deemed a flight risk and a significant danger to the community, leading to his detention until trial.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland stated, "The Justice Department is targeting every link in fentanyl trafficking supply chains that span countries and continents and too often end in tragedy in the United States."

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroin, has been linked to around 82,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2022 alone, reflecting a tenfold increase in opioid-related deaths since 1999. Prosecutors allege that since February 2024, both companies supplied precursor chemicals while mislabeling shipments and falsifying customs documents to conceal their actions.

Lathiya faces up to 53 years in prison if convicted.