LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 30 : Cargo ships and containers sit idle in the Port of Los Angeles as workers staged a slow-down after shipping companies locked them out from working after a weekend labor dispute, September 30, 2002 on Terminal Island area of Long Beach, California. (Photo by Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images)
Long Beach, California – Federal authorities seized 55 tons of a chemical used to manufacture methamphetamine at the Port of Long Beach on May 30, halting what investigators say was a major shipment bound for Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel.
The intercepted shipment of dicumyl peroxide—an industrial chemical commonly repurposed by drug traffickers—originated in China and was detected as part of a larger investigative effort by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Officials say the seizure marks one of the most significant victories in a years-long strategy to disrupt the flow of precursor chemicals fueling the meth and fentanyl trade across North America.
“This initiative provides Homeland Security Investigations with a game-changing method to stay one step ahead of the cartels,” said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge of ICE’s Houston office, which helped lead the investigation. “For far too long, the Mexican drug cartels have raked in billions of dollars at the expense of our local communities.”
Launched in 2019, the chemical interdiction initiative has become one of ICE’s most potent tools in combating synthetic drug trafficking. By analyzing shipping patterns, supply networks, and country-of-origin data, investigators have been able to detect and intercept almost 1.9 million kilograms—nearly 2,100 tons—of chemical precursors since the program began. That includes a 44-ton seizure of glacial acetic acid in March at the Port of Houston, also reportedly intended for the Sinaloa cartel.
Beyond disrupting the supply chain, the initiative has also led to the identification and dismantling of clandestine drug labs in Mexico. According to ICE, intelligence from intercepted shipments has helped locate 13 meth production sites operated by the Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa cartel since January.
The seizure at Long Beach highlights the globalized nature of the synthetic drug trade. Chemicals sourced legally or semi-legally from manufacturers in China and India often make their way through complex international supply routes before arriving at cartel-run labs in Mexico. From there, methamphetamine and fentanyl are trafficked into the United States, driving a domestic addiction crisis that continues to claim tens of thousands of lives annually.
Officials said the investigation remains ongoing, and no arrests have yet been announced in connection with the Long Beach seizure.
