OAN Staff Blake Wolf and Brooke Mallory
5:27 PM – Wednesday, September 3, 2025
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the federal indictments of 22 Chinese nationals, four China-based chemical companies, and three Americans for their roles in a black market fentanyl supply chain. The discovery was made possible in part by Operation Box Cutter.
The federal takedown, dubbed Operation Box Cutter, resulted in the seizure of “enough fentanyl to kill 70M Americans + 270K more in pills,” according to Patel.
Patel made the announcement on Wednesday, calling the operation “the first of its kind.” Agents targeted four Chinese companies that presented themselves as legitimate pharmaceutical businesses but were in fact selling fentanyl precursors.
The investigation originated in Ohio, where Americans like Eric Michael Payne of Tipp City, along with his partner, Auriyon Tresean Rayford, purportedly purchased fentanyl precursors from the Chinese companies and resold them to local dealers.
Ciandrea Bryne Davis, another American, is also accused of facilitating the transfer of funds to the overseas suppliers. All three have since been indicted, according to U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II.
“This indictment sends a clear message: We will target fentanyl trafficking at every stage, in every part of the world, and we will hold accountable any individuals or entities in the distribution of this deadly substance,” Gerace stated.
The investigation expanded “all the way to mainland China, where chemical companies were openly marketing and selling dangerous precursor substances used to cut and manufacture fentanyl, cocaine and heroin,” according to Fox News.
Additionally, everyone involved in the operation has been charged with conspiracy to launder money internationally and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances — which carries a minimum of 30 years in prison.
“We’re done playing Whack-a-Mole,” Patel stated. “Today’s takedown marks the FBI’s first-of-its-kind international operation targeting the fentanyl plague that has killed tens of thousands of Americans, indicting the companies and individuals in mainland China that manufacture the precursors fueling the destruction of our communities.”
“We have indicted Chinese precursor companies and exposed their bank accounts and cryptocurrency pipelines and funding sources that facilitate this deadly trade,” he continued.
The operation targeted four Chinese companies, identified as: “Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical Company, LTD., Guangzhou Wanjiang Biotechnology Co., LTD., Hebei Hongjun New Material Technology Co., LTD.,” and “Hebei Feilaimi Technology Co., LTD.”
However, the FBI is still now searching for the 22 Chinese nationals wanted for their role in the drug conspiracy, placing “red notices” on the individuals — allowing them to be taken into custody — should they travel into nations the United States has extradition agreement with.
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