New Delhi: The US Embassy has announced it has revoked and denied visas for “certain business executives and corporate leadership” from India, along with their close family members, for their alleged involvement in trafficking fentanyl precursors. The embassy, however, has not released the names of the individuals or companies affected by this action.
In a statement, the US Embassy in New Delhi confirmed that the visa revocations were made as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to protect Americans from dangerous synthetic narcotics. The embassy’s chargé d’affaires, Jorgan Andrews, stated, “The US embassy in New Delhi remains steadfast in its commitment to combating illicit drug trafficking. Individuals and organisations involved in the illegal production and trafficking of drugs to the United States, along with their families, will face consequences that may include being denied access to the United States.”
This is the second time this year that the US has imposed visa restrictions on Indian nationals. In May, the State Department implemented similar restrictions on travel agency owners and officials in India for allegedly facilitating illegal immigration to the US.
The US embassy’s statement on Thursday noted that the actions were taken under various sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act. It also warned that executives connected to companies known to have trafficked fentanyl precursors will face “heightened scrutiny” if they apply for a US visa in the future.
While the names of the companies and individuals were not disclosed by the embassy, the US Department of Justice had previously announced charges in January against two India-based companies, Raxuter Chemicals and Athos Chemicals, and a founder of Raxuter Chemicals, Bhavesh Lathiya. They were accused of “criminal conspiracies to distribute and import fentanyl precursor chemicals” to the US and Mexico. Lathiya was arrested in New York City on January 4. The Justice Department alleged that the companies used “deceptive and fraudulent practices” such as mislabeling packages and falsifying customs forms to evade detection at borders.
The US embassy emphasized that stopping the flow of fentanyl and its precursors is a top priority for Washington and expressed gratitude for the Indian government’s “close cooperation to combat this shared challenge.” The statement concluded by saying that only by working together can the two governments address this transnational threat.