News

Crackdown on Synthetic Drug Purveyors Likely to Spell More Sanctions

By Kira Zalan

In a coordinated effort last May, federal, state and local law enforcement officers across 29 states descended on gas stations, corner stores and smoke shops selling synthetic cannabinoids. Authorities arrested over 150 individuals and seized tens of millions of dollars in assets. That crackdown marks the intensification of a domestic effort that could further expand offshore, targeting Chinese chemical manufacturers and, potentially, individuals in Yemen profiting from millions of dollars of sales of the banned substances. American investigators have identified over 100 Chinese chemical suppliers through leads provided by indicted distributors, Customs and Border Patrol shipment interventions and online advertising,...

TO READ THE FULL STORY