US names India, China as ‘primary sources’ of illicit fentanyl trafficking
New Delhi: The United States has reportedly identified India and China as key players in the illicit fentanyl trade, naming them as "state actors" who contribute to the direct and indirect supply of precursor chemicals and equipment used by drug traffickers.
“A diverse set of foreign actors are targeting US health and safety, critical infrastructure, industries, wealth, and government,” Washington said in its 2025 Annual Threat Assessment report released by the office of the Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, reported Scroll on Thursday.
According to the report, fentanyl and other synthetic opioids were responsible for over 52,000 deaths in the U.S. between November 2023 and October 2024. It added that certain transnational criminal organisations were producing and trafficking large amounts of illicit drugs that were endangering the lives and livelihoods of U.S. citizens.
The report highlighted that transnational criminal organisations (TCOs), such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the New Generation Jalisco Cartel, based in Mexico, remain the primary producers and suppliers of illicit drugs like fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine to the U.S. market. However, non-state groups are said to be supported by "state actors like China and India as sources of precursors and equipment for drug traffickers”.
“China remains the primary source country for illicit fentanyl precursor chemicals and pill pressing equipment, followed by India,” alleged the report.
The report follows a recent federal case in Washington DC, where an India-based chemical manufacturing company and three of its employees were charged with illegally importing fentanyl precursors. Additionally, two top-ranking employees of a Hyderabad-based company were arrested in New York City last week in connection with the case.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
