Under US Pressure, Mexico Conducts Raids on Inactive Drug Labs in a Bid to Combat Fentanyl Trafficking

In response to the U.S. government’s intensified demands to curb fentanyl trafficking, Mexico’s army has been conducting raids predominantly on inactive drug labs, with active facilities making up less than 5% of the total seizures this year. Despite the U.S. pressure to crack down on fentanyl, a defense ministry report revealed that out of 527 labs raided in the first seven months of 2023, only 24 were operational. This approach has led to criticism that Mexico is waging an “imaginary war on drugs.”

The Biden Administration has made stopping the flow of fentanyl from Mexico a top priority. However, the inclusion of abandoned labs in Mexico’s seizure records, possibly inactive for years, has led to accusations of inflated figures to placate U.S. demands. President Lopez Obrador, after meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden, reaffirmed Mexico’s commitment to preventing the entry of fentanyl into the U.S., despite previous denials of fentanyl production on Mexican soil.

However, U.S. officials and experts express skepticism about Mexico’s strategies. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley commented that the data manipulation seems more about scoring political points than genuinely combating drug trafficking. The Mexican Defense Ministry’s (SEDENA) inconsistent reporting and reclassification of lab statuses have raised further doubts about the effectiveness and transparency of these operations.

This strategy of raiding inactive labs raises questions about the real impact on drug trafficking and Mexico’s commitment to genuinely addressing the fentanyl crisis​.