The US government is working in tandem with Indian law enforcement officials to dismantle a ‘China-backed’ global fentanyl network. FBI Director Kash Patel contended that precursors to the often-deadly drug were being moved through the country before being routed to Mexican drug cartels. Fentanyl has emerged as a leading cause of drug-related deaths in the US — with the Donald Trump-led administration making extensive efforts to contain the issue.

“They’re going to places like India, and I’m also doing operations in India. They’re having the Mexican cartels now make this fentanyl down in Mexico still…You don’t hear fentanyl deaths in India. You don’t really hear fentanyl deaths in England, Australia, New Zealand, or Five Eyes partners in Canada. The CCP have used it as a directed approach because we are their adversary,” Patel said on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.

The assertion came weeks after an US report named India and China as key “sources of precursors and equipment for drug traffickers”. According to the 2025 Annual Threat Assessment report, China remained the primary source country for illicit fentanyl precursor chemicals and pill pressing equipment with India in second place. Meanwhile Mexico-based groups such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel remained the dominant producers and suppliers of illicit drugs — including fentanyl.

Patel claimed during his podcast appearance on Friday that Chinese suppliers were “getting cute” by routing precursors through countries like India to avoid direct enforcement. Several India-linked chemical manufacturers have been named in US indictments over the past few months for distributing fentanyl precursors and other investigations remain underway. The FBI chief claimed that joint operations were being held with Indian law enforcement agencies to address the issue.

“I literally just got off the phone with the Indian government. I said: ‘I need your help. This stuff’s coming into your country and then they’re moving it from your country because India is not consuming fentanyl.’ We’re going to find these companies that buy it and we’re going to shut them down,” he added.

What is fentanyl?

According to an US Drug Enforcement Agency factsheet, fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug that was approved for use as an analgesic (pain relief) and anesthetic. It is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and around 50x more potent than heroin as an analgesic.