NYT "Vile Mexican Cartel Tests New Drugs on Homeless People and Animals"

Mexican drug trafficking cartels have developed synthetic drug manufacturing methods such as fentanyl, targeting not only animals such as rabbits and chickens but also homeless people.

The New York Times reported that Mexican cartels are testing their effects on animals and homeless people after mixing animal sedatives and anesthetics with fentanyl ingredients to make synthetic drugs.

According to drug makers and U.S. Embassy officials contacted by The New York Times, if the mixed drug is injected into an animal and alive for more than 90 seconds, it is considered a weak drug that is not suitable for sale in the United States.

An anonymous drug manufacturer explained that they add xylazine, an animal sedative, in this case.

Xylazine is an animal drug that has recently increased the number of people who mix and misuse existing drugs among American drug addicts, and the synthetic drug is called a "trank" locally.

Mexican drug investigators were also found to have found animal carcasses during a laboratory crackdown.

Recently, cartel members have visited homeless encampments and are recruiting volunteers, saying, "I'll give you $30 if you get the mixture," and it is known that there are not a few cases where experiments are conducted on people.

Mexican homeless people testified, "Cartel members examine drug reactions and gauge their effectiveness, and sometimes many people died."

The U.S. government warned that "weird and messy fentanyl is increasing, and after testing hundreds of samples in the U.S., we found that there are various compounds."

The New York Times noted that drug trafficking cartels are devising new dangerous ways to maintain fentanyl production and efficacy as they restrict exports of raw materials from China, which is cited as a source of drug fentanyl raw materials.

Mexican drug cartels are said to hire university chemistry majors as so-called 'cookers' to urge drug synthesis in the process.