How Blockhchain helps unravel the international fentanyl trafficking

Blockchain technology is becoming an important tool for law enforcement to track and prevent international smuggling activities, including fentanyl.

Fentanyl is a very dangerous synthetic opioid. Thanks to its transparency, blockchain can track the activities of criminal organizations involved in fentanyl trafficking, from chemical suppliers in China to drug cartels in Mexico and North America.

Blockchain becomes the “heels of Achilles” of fentanyl crime

As we know, blockchain acts as an immutable digital ledger that transparently and permanently records all transactions. This technology helps to improve trust and efficiency through transparent transactions and faster spending of funds for charity.

This has created a major weakness for fentanyl smuggling organizations. These crime units often use cryptocurrencies to quickly and anonymously conduct cross-border transactions.

According to chain analysis, this transparency in blockchain allows researchers to track transactions related to fentanyl. They track the flow from Chinese chemical suppliers to criminal organizations such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Mexican drug cartels, such as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

Officials in the Eastern District of Wisconsin have seized more than $5.5 million in codes linked to money laundering networks associated with Mexican drug cartels and Chinese chemical suppliers.

Chainalysis utilized an analytics tool to track the flow of funds from centralized exchange accounts and suspicious crypto addresses. They discovered that fentanyl traffickers use cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin (BTC) and stubcoin, to purchase precursor chemicals from Chinese suppliers.

These materials are sent to organizations such as the Mexican cartel for the production and distribution of fentanyl in the United States. Darknet Markets (DNMS) also plays an important role in this network.

According to the 2025 Chainisis Crypto Crime Report, Abacus Market is one of the largest DarkNet Markets serving Western customers. In 2024, it received a $43.3 million chain transaction, making it the highest revenue market on the dark web.

Some darknet markets prohibit the sale of fentanyl in terms of service. However, many vendors bypass the restrictions by selling substances or derivatives of fentanyl lace, such as Nitazen.