HOUSTON – A Chinese national has been indicted for his role 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, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Minsu Fang, 48, also known as Fernando, was charged in a four-count indictment. The charges include conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance for the 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 China to kill millions of Americans,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced, and the Justice Department is committed to breaking apart every link in the global fentanyl supply chain.”
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram highlighted the significance of the seizure. “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 United States. The DEA is laser-focused on saving American lives by disrupting the entire global fentanyl supply chain that is responsible for flooding our communities with fentanyl.”
U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas underscored the importance of the multi-agency collaboration that led to this indictment. “Fang allegedly imported over 2,000 kilograms of raw materials from China destined for various places in Mexico used in the manufacture of fentanyl. This historic seizure represents a multi-agency collaboration that prevented the production of millions upon millions of deadly doses of fentanyl-laced pills.”
The now unsealed charges allege that 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. The shipments were allegedly declared to have a de minimis value, less than $800, and commingled with similarly low-valued import items to avoid detailed inspections.
If convicted, Fang faces a maximum penalty of life in prison on each count, as well as a $10 million fine.