Chinese National Indicted for Importation of Enough
Chemicals to Make Millions of Fatal Doses of Fentanyl
Office of Public Affairs
A Chinese national was indicted for his part in a conspiracy
involving the importation of what is believed to be the largest amount of
fentanyl precursors found in the Southern District of Texas and one of the
largest in the country.
Minsu Fang, 48, also known as Fernando, was charged in a
four-count indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a
controlled substance, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance for
purpose of unlawful importation, conspiracy to import a controlled substance,
and conspiracy to export a controlled substance.
“We charged this defendant for importing enough fentanyl
precursor chemicals from
“To end the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever
faced, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) starts where the harm begins –
with the Chinese chemical companies and the individuals that are selling
chemicals to those who make and sell the fentanyl that is killing Americans.
This work led DEA to Minsu Fang, who is charged with selling more than 2,000
kilograms of fentanyl precursors. This marks one of DEA’s largest seizures of
fentanyl chemicals to date in the
“My office is focused on disrupting and dismantling the
transnational criminal organizations flooding the United States with fentanyl,
a drug that is killing our children,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for
the Southern District of Texas. “Fang allegedly imported over 2,000 kilograms
of raw materials from
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) plays a pivotal role
in disrupting the supply of illicit opioids at every point in the drug supply
chain: internationally, at our nation’s borders, and in communities throughout
the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of HSI San
Antonio. “The partnerships in this investigation were key to securing this
indictment. The threat imposed by fentanyl dictates that agencies not only
deconflict and coordinate, but to also collaborate. This investigation and
prosecution are the perfect example of collaboration across agencies and
throughout the country.”
The now unsealed charges allege Fang and his associates
shipped over 2,000 kilograms of fentanyl precursor chemicals from China into
the United States and on to Mexico in approximately 100 separate shipments
between August and October 2023. Fang and his co-conspirators were able to
avoid law enforcement interdiction of the shipments by declaring them to have a
de minimis value, less than $800, and commingling the boxes containing the precursor
chemicals with similarly low valued import items, according to the charges.
As a result, each of the shipments were allegedly admitted
into the United States without a detailed inspection of the individual
contents. Once in the United States, Fang, through co-conspirators, shipped the
chemicals into Mexico, according to the charges.
If convicted, Fang faces a maximum penalty of life in prison
on each count, as well as a $10 million fine. A federal district court judge
will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines
and other statutory factors.
The DEA and HSI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard D. Hanes and Heather Rae
Winter for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are
presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of
law.
Updated