by WorldTribune Staff / 247 Real News September 3, 2025
In two recent maritime interdictions in Pasadena, Texas, federal law enforcement agents seized a massive amount of drug precursor chemicals that were headed from China to Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Janine Pirro announced on Wednesday.
Pirro said the seized precursor chemicals could be used to produce 420,000 pounds of methamphetamine by the Sinaloa Cartel.
The shipments, according to Pirro originated in Shanghai, China and were to be received by the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico. Sinaloa is now a foreign terrorist organization as designated by the Trump Administration.
In what she said was one of the most significant busts in U.S. history, Pirro indicated the chemicals included 363,000 pounds of benzyl alcohol, which can be used to produce benzyl chloride, a DEA-list II chemical restricted in many countries because it can be used to produce amphetamine-type narcotics illegally.
In addition, 334,000 pounds of N-methyl formamide, a chemical included on the DEA special surveillance list of laboratory supplies used in the manufacture of controlled substances, was also seized.
The two maritime seizures occurred in international waters just off the coast of Panama and consisted of 1,300 barrels of the two dangerous chemicals. Emphasizing the enormity of the seizure, Pirro told reporters it would take 24 semi-tractor trailers to move the barrels to a secure location for storage.
“Every day, tons of chemicals that are used to create synthetic drugs like methamphetamine and fentanyl are shipped from China to Mexico in China’s undeclared war against America and her citizens,” Pirro said. “Every day, in funeral homes across this country, we see the tragic consequences of what can happen in this undeclared war.”
The laboratories operated by the Sinaloa cartel are currently capable of producing a ton of methamphetamine per week. Pirro valued the methamphetamines that may have been manufactured with the chemicals from China at $569 million in the Houston area, an amount she said would increase as the illegal narcotics moved into markets on the upper eastern seaboard of the United States.
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