The US Embassy in India lauded Indian law enforcement for helping dismantle a network that moved precursor chemicals used to make illicit fentanyl bound for the United States. In a post on X, the Embassy said its cooperation with Indian authorities was key to breaking important parts of the criminal supply chain supplying these chemicals to cartels.
On April 23, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Satishkumar Hareshbhai Sutaria for his role in aiding the production of illicit fentanyl. OFAC said Sutaria, an India-based supplier of pharmaceutical chemicals, traded in fentanyl precursors and — together with salesperson Yuktakumari Ashishkumar Modi — facilitated sales and shipments to Mexico and Guatemala. Among the substances cited was N-Boc-4-Piperidone, which was allegedly mislabeled as “safe chemicals.”
OFAC identified SR Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals (SR Chemicals) and Agrat Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals (Agrat Chemicals), both based in India, as the companies used to conduct these transactions. Indian authorities arrested Sutaria and Modi in March 2025 in connection with the case.
Under Executive Order 14059, OFAC designated Sutaria, Modi, SR Chemicals and Agrat Chemicals for engaging in, or posing a significant risk of contributing to, the international proliferation of illicit drugs or the means of their production. As a result, all property and interests in property of these designated individuals and entities within the United States are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Any entity owned 50 percent or more, directly or indirectly, by one or more blocked persons is also blocked.
Absent a general or specific OFAC license or another exemption, OFAC regulations generally bar US persons — and transactions within or transiting the United States — from involving any property or interests in property of blocked parties.
(This report is sourced from a syndicated feed and published as received.)
