Fentanyl-Linked Firms Supplied Mexican Universities

Mexico — A recent analysis has revealed that at least seven of the twelve companies sanctioned by United States authorities for their alleged links to the production and trafficking of fentanyl were also suppliers of materials and chemical products to various educational institutions in the states of Sonora, Sinaloa, and Baja California Sur.

Between contracts signed from 2018 to 2025, these companies managed to sell a total of more than 35 million pesos in laboratory goods, primarily through direct awards, taking advantage of public procurement in the academic and public sectors in the region.

Contracts with Academic Institutions

The institutions that received these supplies include several universities and technological centers, such as the Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, the Universidad Autónoma de Occidente, the Universidad de Sonora, and the Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora, among others.

The presence of these companies in the academic market raises questions about the vulnerability of acquisition processes to actors linked to illicit activities, in addition to highlighting the heterogeneous reach of money laundering and illicit financing in sectors considered safe.

Context of US Sanctions

In the context of recent sanctions from the US Department of the Treasury, several Mexican individuals and companies linked to the Sinaloa Cartel were sanctioned, in particular the faction known as "Los Chapitos," which controls a large part of the traffic of chemical precursors for the manufacture of synthetic drugs.

Among the sanctioned companies is Sumilab, located in Culiacán, which allegedly supplied precursors for fentanyl production laboratories, operated in complicity with the criminal structure.

This scenario highlights how criminal organizations maintain connections even in areas considered accessible to the academic community and underscores the need to strengthen controls in public procurement processes, as well as the monitoring of companies and suppliers that may be infiltrating strategic sectors.

The fight against drug trafficking involves not only field operations but also strict oversight of commercial and academic activities that could facilitate the production and distribution of illicit drugs.