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In reply to the discussion: Sen. Andy Kim responds to Venezuela attack: [View all]Wiz Imp
(8,991 posts)Very little of the illegal drugs originate in Venezuela. A larger amount ARE transported through Venezuela, but they are not the source of the drugs. And very little of the drugs that pass through Venezuela end up in the US. Most end up in europe.
https://www.kcra.com/article/venezuela-drug-trafficking-cocaine-fentanyl/69676930
Get the Facts: Is Venezuela a primary drug trafficker to the United States?
The Trump administration has set its sights on Venezuela in its latest campaign against illegal drugs, but data shows that the country is responsible for just a sliver of drug trafficking directly to the United States.
The Get the Facts Data Team analyzed data on cocaine and fentanyl trafficking. While Venezuela is a player in cocaine manufacturing and trafficking, drug seizure data shows that it's not as prominent a supplier of cocaine to the U.S. as other South American and Latin American countries.
There is also no evidence that any significant level of illegal fentanyl the primary killer in U.S. overdose deaths is produced in South America, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Most illegal fentanyl enters the U.S. from Mexico, per UNODC and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Illicit fentanyl can also be diverted, or stolen, from legal sources as medical professionals use the drug.