How the Drug Enforcement Administration fights the diversion of precursor chemicals that threaten public safety.
By Charvi Arora, SPAN Magazine, U.S. Embassy New Delhi
Synthetic drugs do not begin on the street. They begin much earlier, inside factories, warehouses, and shipping containers that move chemicals across borders every day. Many of these chemicals are legal and widely used across the pharmaceutical and other industries. However, when traffickers divert them, these substances become the building blocks for synthetic drugs that harm communities and public health.
Katie Dorais, an assistant special agent in charge at the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) , explains why controlling precursor chemicals is a priority for the U.S. government. The DEA, a federal law enforcement agency, works to prevent traffickers from turning these chemicals into harmful narcotics.
What are precursors?
“Precursor chemicals are the essential ingredients used to manufacture controlled substances like methamphetamine and fentanyl illegally,” says Dorais, adding that many of these chemicals also serve legitimate purposes.
The scale of the problem is enormous. “In 2024, the DEA seized more than 60 million fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills and nearly 8,000 pounds of fentanyl powder,” she says. “These seizures are equivalent to more than 380 million lethal doses of fentanyl.” These numbers underscore why the U.S. government treats precursor control as a public safety issue, not just a regulatory one.
In late 2025, the DEA launched a campaign called Fentanyl Free America, aimed at reducing both the supply and demand of fentanyl. “The DEA has a commitment to protecting American lives and communities from the devastating impacts of fentanyl. A Fentanyl Free America is about prevention, education, and partnership,” says Dorais.
Breaking the chain
Because these chemicals also have legal uses, traffickers often hide in plain sight. Dorais points to a common method known as transshipment. “There are import/export loopholes in this system that are difficult to combat,” she says. Criminal groups move chemicals through ports with weaker oversight, then ship them onward. “This process makes the paper trail appear clean to the initial exporting country,” she adds.
For the DEA, stopping diversion at this stage is critical. “The DEA prioritizes the control of precursor chemicals, making it harder for drug traffickers to obtain raw materials to make narcotics,” Dorais says.
Another common tactic, mis-declaration, involves hiding the true nature or destination of a shipment. “Precursor chemicals are purchased online and mis-declared during import/export,” she explains.
To address this risk, the DEA works with companies on Know Your Customer (KYC) practices. “The principle of KYC relies on a chemical company or pharmaceutical company to implement policies to limit sales of known precursors to clients regarded as bona fide,” Dorais explains.
Scientific analysis also plays a critical role in identifying emerging risks. “The DEA’s laboratory system in the United States is leading the fight against synthetic drugs,” Dorais notes. “It analyzes seized chemicals, such as powders, liquids, and pills. Over the years, the DEA has built a tremendous database of precursor signatures, synthesis routes, impurity profiles, and emerging analogues.”
Governments need to adapt as traffickers change tactics. “AI and data analytics are powerful tools in detecting diverted precursor chemicals,” she says. Data analytics allows any agency to identify anomalies like volume of chemical purchases, shipping information, import and export data. These tools can help investigators place real-time alerts on high-risk shipments or identify a company selling large amounts of precursor chemicals to an unusual destination.
Working with India
The DEA emphasizes the importance of cooperation with India. “India is one of the world’s largest producers of legitimate precursor chemicals, so partnership is essential,” Dorais says, noting that the DEA is working with India’s Central Revenues Control Laboratory (CRCL) on identifying precursor chemicals and synthetic opioids.
The DEA’s New Delhi office also works closely with India’s Narcotics Control Bureau, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, and the Central Bureau of Narcotics to share information and support joint investigations.
In August 2025, the DEA brought two chemists from the Special Testing and Research Laboratory in Sterling, Virginia, to discuss chemical analysis and best practices with counterparts in India. The DEA anticipates additional events with CRCL in 2026 to continue monitoring evolving drug trends and sharing information.
This collaboration, backed by U.S. government programs and diplomatic engagement, strengthens oversight while supporting lawful trade. By focusing on prevention, monitoring, and partnerships, the DEA aims to stop dangerous drugs before they reach American communities.