Fentanyl - NOW causes over 80% of Overdose Deaths. How a USPS mail trick created a flood of Fentanyl into USA Markets. The UN, they all are in on the deal to flood the USA with Fentanyl. Takes a team.

Medical science has made such tremendous progress that there is hardly a healthy human left. - Aldous Huxley Clips Played: Trump declares war on fentanyl traffickers, says no rest until epidemic eradicated once and for all (youtube.com) Music: Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit (Official Audio) (youtube.com)

Aldous Huxley predicted that drugs would one day become a humane alternative to "flogging" for rulers wishing to control "recalcitrant subjects." WHY does the USA take so many drugs? Prescription Meds are now NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH IN USA. (psychopathinyourlife.com)

IRAN: Will they nuke us to death? Or is IRAN actually THE WORLD drug TRADE ROUTE supplying drugs into Europe and USA? Follow the Drug Trail from Middle East to Netherlands and USA. (psychopathinyourlife.com)

102 – Psychopaths Murder With A Pen Sackler Opioids 1/2 (psychopathinyourlife.com)

103 – Psychopaths Murder With A Pen Sackler Opioids 2/2 (psychopathinyourlife.com)

Fentanyl DrugFacts | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (nih.gov)

Deadly synthetic opioids 40 times stronger than fentanyl detected in Australian wastewater for first time | Opioids | The Guardian

Deadly fentanyl bought online from China being shipped through the mail - 60 Minutes - CBS News

How Dirty Money From Fentanyl Sales Is Flowing Through China - WSJ

S.F.'s top Chinese diplomat criticizes Trump's tariffs (sfchronicle.com)

China says US has undermined fentanyl cooperation by imposing tariffs | Reuters

US blocks money transfers by 3 Mexico-based financial institutions accused of aiding cartels

China imposes restrictions on fentanyl chemicals after pressure from U.S.: Move is the first time in six years that Beijing will restrict the ingredients used in the drug : r/foreignpolicy (reddit.com)

Morphine's Origins and Legal Use (1800s–early 1900s)

• Morphine was isolated from opium in 1804, and became widely used during and after the American Civil War (1860s).

• It was seen as a "wonder drug" and prescribed for:

• Pain relief

• Women's menstrual issues

• Nervous disorders

• By the late 1800s, "soldier's disease" (morphine addiction among Civil War vets) was recognized.

• Still, no federal drug laws existed — morphine was sold in patent medicines, syrups, and tonics.

Cocaine's Popularity and Early Concerns

• Cocaine was isolated from coca leaves in the mid-1800s and used in:

• Toothache drops

• Asthma inhalers

• Early versions of Coca-Cola (until 1904)

• It was legal and praised by doctors (including Freud) for mental clarity and energy.

• Over time, concerns grew about:

• Addiction

• Erratic behavior

• Widespread use by laborers, sex workers, and minorities, which fueled moral panic

The First Major Drug Law: The 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act

• Required accurate labeling of contents, including cocaine, opium, morphine, alcohol.

• First time the federal government intervened in drug labeling — but drugs were still legal.

Harrison Narcotics Tax Act of 1914

• This was the turning point: morphine, heroin, opium, and cocaine were no longer available over the counter.

• Framed as a tax law, but really used to restrict non-medical access.

• Required doctors and pharmacists to register and pay taxes to dispense narcotics.

• Over time, even medical access was tightened — by the 1920s, it was nearly impossible to prescribe for addiction treatment.

Driven partly by fears that Black men on cocaine were violent or Chinese immigrants on opium were corrupting white women — these racialized fears played a major role in prohibition.

Criminalization and the War on Drugs (1930s–1970s)

• 1930s: Federal Bureau of Narcotics (led by Harry Anslinger) demonizes drug use, linking it to immorality and crime, especially among minorities.

• 1950s: Harsh sentencing laws introduced.

• 1970: The Controlled Substances Act classified drugs into Schedules I–V, setting the stage for Nixon's "War on Drugs".

Summary Timeline

Year Event 1804–1860s Morphine & cocaine discovered and used legally in medicine 1860s–1900 Civil War → morphine addiction; cocaine in Coca-Cola & patent meds 1906 Pure Food & Drug Act requires labeling of drugs 1914 Harrison Narcotics Tax Act begins criminalization 1930s–70s Full federal criminalization; drugs like heroin and cocaine outlawed 1970 Controlled Substances Act creates modern drug schedules (e.g., morphine = Schedule II, heroin = I)

Bottom Line

• Morphine and cocaine were legal, mainstream, and popular in the U.S. for decades.

• Criminalization came slowly, driven by a mix of medical awareness, racialized fears, and international diplomacy.

• What started as medicine ended up being framed as criminal behavior, especially for marginalized communities.

CRIMINALIZATION CREATED A BLACK MARKET

• When the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act (1914) and later laws made drugs like morphine and heroin illegal for non-medical use, demand didn't vanish — it just couldn't be met legally anymore.

• This created a lucrative black market, with sky-high profit margins.

• Organized crime groups quickly realized: illegality = opportunity.

ENTER THE MAFIA: EARLY 20TH CENTURY

• Italian-American Mafia, Chinese Triads, and Jewish gangs saw narcotics as even more profitable than alcohol.

• After Prohibition (1920–1933), many crime families shifted from bootlegging alcohol to trafficking heroin and cocaine.

• The Sicilian Mafia became especially influential in smuggling heroin from Turkey to France to the U.S. — called the French Connection.

The Mafia didn't invent the heroin trade — but they perfected its logistics, distribution, and political protection.

THE GLOBAL PIPELINE: "THE FRENCH CONNECTION"

• 1930s–70s: Turkey grew opium → labs in Marseille refined it → U.S. mobsters imported it.

• American Mafia (like the Lucchese and Gambino families) ran heroin rings in New York, Detroit, Chicago.

• High demand + risk = high reward: some made millions per month.

WHY THE MAFIA LOVED DRUGS

Reason Explanation High Profit Tiny packages = massive value; easy to smuggle Steady Demand Addiction created constant customers Low Overhead No taxes, no regulation, just raw cash Control & Fear Addicts could be exploited; dealers feared exposure

The Government Knew — and Sometimes Looked Away

• CIA and intelligence services were accused of allowing or ignoring drug trafficking in exchange for political favors (e.g., anti-communist operations).

• Nixon and Reagan's "War on Drugs" cracked down on street-level users but rarely hit the true top of the supply chain.

KEY MOMENTS

Year Event 1930s Mafia begins narcotics trafficking as alcohol Prohibition ends 1950s–60s "French Connection" dominates heroin trade into the U.S. 1972 French Connection busted — biggest heroin bust in U.S. history 1980s Colombian cartels rise, Mafia influence shifts toward cocaine networks

Bottom Line

• Yes — the Mafia absolutely saw drug prohibition as a business opportunity.

• Once the state said "no more legal morphine/heroin," crime families said "we'll supply it anyway" — and built international empires.
• Prohibition didn't stop drug use — it made it more dangerous, more profitable, and handed control over to organized crime.

THE "CHEAP MAIL TRICK": WHAT IT WAS

Exploited Loophole: International Mail via USPS

• Under the Universal Postal Union (UPU) agreement, small international packages—especially those under 2kg from developing countries like China—were shipped at subsidized rates.

• Chinese vendors (including drug traffickers) used this to ship fentanyl cheaply to the U.S. through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS)—no signature, minimal customs, low cost.

• USPS lacked the customs data that private carriers (FedEx, UPS) were required to collect, such as sender identity, origin, and package contents.

Yes — the Universal Postal Union (UPU) is the global body that historically set the rules for international mail, including the cheap shipping rates that enabled fentanyl trafficking from countries like China to the U.S. via postal systems like USPS.

WHO IS THE UPU?

Feature Detail Full Name Universal Postal Union (UPU) Founded 1874, Treaty of Bern Headquarters Bern, Switzerland Members 192 countries — essentially every UN member state Parent Org Became a UN specialized agency in 1948 Main Job Coordinate international postal policies, set terminal dues, shipping standards, tracking protocols, and customs frameworks

WHAT DOES THE UPU DO?

1. Sets Global Postal Rates

1. Particularly for cross-border mail between national postal systems (like China Post → USPS).

1. Historically allowed developing countries (e.g., China) to pay lower terminal dues, meaning they could send packages to richer countries cheaper than domestic U.S. shippers could.

1. Creates Standards

1. Barcoding, customs forms, labeling, electronic data sharing.

1. Maintains Postal Treaties

1. Every country agrees to follow UPU protocols to ensure universal delivery of mail and parcels.

1. Acts as a Postal Diplomatic Forum

1. Regular Congresses and technical committees set rules and rates by consensus or vote.

WHY DID IT MATTER FOR FENTANYL?

Because:

• China, as a "developing nation" under UPU rules, had deeply subsidized outbound shipping rates.

• U.S. mail carriers like USPS were obligated by treaty to deliver incoming foreign mail — even if underpaid.

• Minimal customs oversight was required for small, low-value packages (often used for fentanyl or precursors).

TRUMP vs. THE UPU — 2019 SHOWDOWN

• In 2018, the Trump administration announced it would withdraw the U.S. from the UPU unless it changed how terminal dues were calculated.

• Argument: The U.S. was subsidizing China's e-commerce and drug trade.

• UPU held an extraordinary congress in 2019 in Geneva.

• The UPU backed down, allowing the U.S. to self-declare higher rates starting in 2020.

• This rebalanced costs, increased scrutiny, and closed much of the loophole.

SUMMARY

Topic Answer What is the UPU? A 150-year-old UN postal treaty group coordinating international mail. Who runs it? 192 member states via Congresses in Bern; it's part of the UN system. Why is it important? It sets the international rules and fees for global mail delivery. Why did fentanyl traffickers exploit it? China's ultra-cheap subsidized shipping + weak customs made USPS a gateway. Did the U.S. force reform? Yes — in 2019, the UPU gave in to U.S. demands to set its own rates.

Key Weaknesses:

• No advance electronic data (AED),

• Little screening of small envelopes,

• Low inspection rate,

• Cheap rates encouraged bulk shipping.

The Fox Guarding the Henhouse" in Action:

Element How It Failed UPU (UN Agency) Prioritized "equity" for developing nations, not security or customs enforcement. China Shipped tons of fentanyl analogs cheaply while claiming to fight drug crime domestically. USPS Legally bound by UPU treaty to deliver mail with limited inspection — until STOP Act forced a change. Customs Couldn't inspect millions of small envelopes; no advance electronic data pre-2019. UN oversight Virtually none — UPU is consensus-run, slow to act, resistant to U.S. pressure.

What It Looked Like in Practice

• Chinese traffickers could advertise fentanyl online, accept Bitcoin or gift cards, and ship a lethal dose in an envelope for under $5, arriving within 10 days.

• USPS would deliver it — unopened, uninspected, and legally obligated.

• Add to that: pill presses, cutting agents, and precursors were also sent through mail or re-routed via Mexico.

Who Paid the Price?

• U.S. towns and cities ravaged by overdoses.

• Border agents and postal workers often overwhelmed, sometimes sickened by exposure.

• Families searching for answers in a global trafficking problem enabled by multilateral bureaucracy and bad incentives.

Why It's Still Relevant

You're hitting on a deeper point: global institutions like the UN can be complicit—not always through intent, but through apathy, outdated treaties, or ideological rigidity. When the system prioritizes equality of access over security, bad actors win.

And yes, it continues:

• Today's UPU reforms helped close that mail loophole,

• But now the same players are moving through Mexico, shipping precursors, and exploiting new gaps in air and sea cargo.

KEY EARLY EXPOSERS

Investigative Reporters (2016–2018)

1. NBC News (2017)

• Story: "How Chinese Drug Traffickers Make Billions Shipping Fentanyl to Americans"

• Reporter: Cynthia McFadden and Anna Schecter

• Impact: Exposed Chinese websites openly selling fentanyl, using USPS delivery — even including customer reviews.

• NBC obtained actual mail packages and had them tested: confirmed fentanyl delivery through U.S. mail.

2. The Wall Street Journal (2017–2018)

• Reporters: Jeanne Whalen and others

• WSJ reported on the UPU "terminal dues" system and showed how China was paying less to ship packages to New York than a U.S. company could ship from L.A. to NYC.

• They called it an unintentional state subsidy for smugglers and counterfeiters.

3. SENATE REPORT – Jan 2018

• Title: "Combatting the Scourge of Opioid Trafficking Through the International Mail System"

• Led by Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Chair of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

• Staffers went undercover, ordered fentanyl online from China — delivered through USPS.

• Report called the mail system the "weakest link in America's drug control system."

HOW THEY FOUND THE FLAW

Method Details Undercover purchases Staffers and journalists placed orders online—testing how easy it was to buy fentanyl. Death data Surge in overdose deaths tied to fentanyl arriving in small packages led investigators to postal routes. Customs loopholes Reporters discovered USPS was not required to collect electronic customs data before STOP Act. Comparing rates WSJ & others compared China's cheap shipping rates to U.S. domestic and FedEx/UPS pricing. Whistleblowers Customs agents and postal workers warned of the volume of uninspected international mail.

WHO PUSHED FOR CHANGE?

• Rob Portman – Ohio Senator, Republican

"It's unacceptable that while private carriers like FedEx and UPS are required to provide advanced data, USPS is letting this poison in through the front door."

• David Ryder – then-Director, U.S. Mint, former DEA

• Advocated for closing mail loopholes, warned about synthetic analogs.

• Homeland Security Committee Reports

• Confirmed that less than 1% of international mail was inspected in 2016–2017.

KEY TIMELINE

Year Event 2016 First major media reports link mail to fentanyl. 2017 NBC and WSJ confirm online ordering/delivery via USPS. Jan 2018 Senate releases damning report based on undercover buys. Oct 2018 STOP Act passed—requires USPS to collect electronic advance data (AED). 2020 Enforcement begins; loophole narrows significantly. 2021–2025 Trafficking shifts to Mexico land routes, but mail precursor shipping remains a risk.

Summary

• NBC News and WSJ were among the first to expose the USPS-fentanyl loophole.

• Senator Rob Portman's committee took it public with detailed undercover buys.

• Their work directly led to the STOP Act (2018) and global UPU reform (2019).