Mexican cartel linked to fentanyl surge in SA

Drug cartels based in Mexico are accused of fuelling the fentanyl overdose crisis in the US. Now the names of notorious cartels are starting to crop up in South African cases. Evidence suggests that two notorious Mexican cartels – Sinaloa and Jalisco – are among the international drug trafficking gangs active in SA. The Daily Maverick reports that the US customs and border officials in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2022 intercepted a package ostensibly containing water purification substances sent from SA. However, it turned out to contain cocaine and a dose of fentanyl with the potential to kill 220 000 people. The breakthrough, together with a raid on a farm in Limpopo in July, added to the evidence suggesting that two cartels are among the international drug trafficking gangs active in SA. These cartels are involved in an array of crime, including cocaine trafficking, and the production of synthetic drugs such as methamphetamine and fentanyl. The latter is a massive problem in the US.