Based on drug enforcement and government reports for 2025, Mexican cartels, primarily the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) cartels, continue to operate clandestine labs in Mexico to manufacture fentanyl. These labs rely on precursor chemicals sourced mainly from companies in China.
Key facts about fentanyl labs
and production in Mexico in 2025:
- Primary criminal organizations: The
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other U.S. government
reports released in 2025 identify the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New
Generation Cartel (CJNG) as the main groups producing fentanyl in Mexico.
- Source of precursors: The production
in Mexico's labs is dependent on precursor chemicals and equipment, such
as pill presses, that are sourced from Chinese companies.
- Clandestine production
methods: Cartels produce fentanyl in hidden labs using increasingly
sophisticated methods and equipment. Much of the illicit fentanyl is
pressed into pills that resemble legitimate prescription medication.
- Drug trafficking: After production,
the cartels traffic the fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico land border,
primarily in passenger vehicles. From there, U.S.-based affiliates
distribute the drug.
- Location of labs: While exact lab
locations are secret, a December 2024 report highlighted how the Sinaloa
Cartel operates labs in urban areas, such as the city of Culiacán, often
with no outward signs of their activity.
- Enforcement efforts: U.S. and
Mexican authorities have continued efforts to disrupt cartel operations.
- In May 2025, the U.S. Department of
Justice announced a record seizure of 400 kilograms of fentanyl.
- In August and September 2025, the DEA
announced the arrest of hundreds of people linked to the Sinaloa Cartel.
- U.S. President Trump has designated
several Mexican cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, expanding the
legal tools available for prosecuting cartel leaders.
- In July 2025, the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued orders against Mexico-based banks for money laundering related to opioid trafficking.
2025 National Drug Threat
Assessment - DEA.gov
May 15, 2025 — The Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco New Generation Cartel, now designated along with six other transnational criminal organizations as foreign terrorist organization..
. Fentanyl
lab operations
- Widespread and adaptable: Cartels are
constantly modernizing their production, with labs that are increasingly
mobile. Some are set up on trailers, allowing them to operate briefly and
then relocate to avoid detection.
- Precursor chemicals: Mexican TCOs
rely on precursor chemicals and equipment, such as pill presses, that are
primarily sourced from China. This was highlighted by a September 2025
U.S. seizure of 300,000 kilos of meth precursor chemicals from China bound
for the Sinaloa Cartel.
- Counterfeit pills: Many of these labs
are dedicated to producing counterfeit prescription pills, such as
oxycodone or Xanax, which are laced with deadly doses of fentanyl. Drug
traffickers use these convincing replicas to mislead buyers.
- Key production areas: While labs can be found in many states, Mexican authorities report that the state of Sinaloa has a high concentration of clandestine labs. Other areas where labs have been seized in 2025 include Durango, Guerrero, and Michoacán.
Enforcement efforts and
seizures in 2025
- Mexican operations: Between October
2024 and April 2025, the Mexican Army seized 45 clandestine labs, with the
majority in Sinaloa.
- U.S. operations: A five-day
"operational surge" conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) in late August 2025 led to hundreds of arrests and
seizures of thousands of kilograms of illicit drugs linked to the Sinaloa
Cartel.
- International cooperation: In September 2025, U.S. and Mexican officials reaffirmed their commitment to dismantle TCOs through enhanced cooperation and intelligence sharing, specifically to halt the trafficking of fentanyl and other illicit drugs.
https://www.google.com/search?q=fentanyl+labs+in+mexico+2025
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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