🇨🇳 Firsky International Trade (Wuhan) Co Ltd [富仕凯贸易 (武汉) 有限公司] is suspected of illegally exporting chemicals to make fentanyl into the US through Firsky KK in Japan. The DEA is on the hunt for the group's leader, Xia Fengzhi (夏凤志).
The DEA arrested two nationals, Wang Qingzhou (王庆周) and Chen Yiyi (陈依依), in June 2023.
During the undercover investigation leading to the arrest, Wang told an informant that his business had two bosses: himself and another individual in Japan.
Wang and Chen were executives at Hubei Amarvel Biotech, a chemical manufacturer based in Wuhan, China. The two were convicted of illegally importing fentanyl precursors into the US. The name of the boss in Japan was first revealed during the trial.
Chen claimed that she worked for four companies, including Amarvel Biotech, backed by an investor named “Fengzhi Xia”.
asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Trade-
nikkei.com/telling/DGXZTS
🇨🇳 Firsky International Trade (Wuhan) Co Ltd [富仕凯贸易 (武汉) 有限公司] is suspected of illegally exporting chemicals to make fentanyl into the US through Firsky KK in Japan. The DEA is on the hunt for the group's leader, Xia Fengzhi (夏凤志).
The DEA arrested two nationals, Wang Qingzhou (王庆周) and Chen Yiyi (陈依依), in June 2023.
During the undercover investigation leading to the arrest, Wang told an informant that his business had two bosses: himself and another individual in Japan.
Wang and Chen were executives at Hubei Amarvel Biotech, a chemical manufacturer based in Wuhan, China. The two were convicted of illegally importing fentanyl precursors into the US. The name of the boss in Japan was first revealed during the trial.
Chen claimed that she worked for four companies, including Amarvel Biotech, backed by an investor named “Fengzhi Xia”.
asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Trade-
nikkei.com/telling/DGXZTS
Byron Wan@Byron_Wan
Jun 26
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A Chinese organization has used a base in Japan — a company set up in Nagoya named Firsky KK — to smuggle chemicals to mak fentanyl into the US.
A key figure in the group registered a company in the city of Nagoya and until at least July 2024 issued instructions from Japan on the delivery of the dangerous opioid and on the management of funds.
Japan has not previously been officially linked to fentanyl trafficking. If Japan is part of a trafficking route, then the country could get caught up in the global frictions surrounding this issue, including the trade war.

Firsky had personnel and capital ties to Hubei Amarvel Biotech, a Wuhan-based chemical manufacturer targeted by the American authorities. Amarvel executives were convicted in a federal court in New York this January of charges that included conspiracy to import fentanyl precursors into the US.
An investigation of 100-plus US court documents, including unpublished ones, points to the existence of a "Japan boss" — thought to be a national — who had invested in Amarvel. Although he was only briefly mentioned, a further investigation via social media and other means revealed the individual's real name and background.
The man said on social media that he lived in the city of Naha in Okinawa. Business records showed him as a shareholder in 18 companies in China, Japan and the US. These included Firsky, where he was registered as representative director.
The record of Firsky's activities listed online shows that there are many intersections with Amarvel. At Chinese subsidiary Firsky International Trade (Wuhan), which said it was "a 100% Japanese-owned company," the auditor resigned in July 2024. That auditor had the same name as one of the Amarvel executives found guilty in the US.

On a specialty website, Firsky was selling Amarvel drugs via cryptocurrency transactions. Firsky's sales representative had the same social media username as Amarvel's, and the two companies displayed the same factory pictures on their websites.
Firsky and Amarvel were effectively the same organization.
The Chinese man who established Firsky held major stakes in and senior executive positions at multiple companies. He likely acted as the leader of the organization and is thought to have issued instructions to China and the US from Japan.
The Japan-registered Firsky was suddenly liquidated in July 2024, while the Amarvel trial was moving forward in New York.
The Amarvel executives convicted in the US set up fentanyl-smuggling networks in multiple countries, including Mexico. That raises the possibility that Japan became a conduit for these transactions.

The American authorities are pursuing the leader, but they do not know his whereabouts.
"It is not known or so common for many drug traffickers to go to Japan.” This makes it easier for "Mexicans or different drug traffickers from Mexico, even from the US, to travel to look for the precursors”.
Japan has few drug-related crimes compared with China and India, known as production centers for fentanyl precursors. So Japan is less likely to be scrutinized by the authorities in other countries, making customs inspections easy to clear.
Firsky operated out of a building owned by an executive of a prominent overseas Chinese association.

Japan is promoting foreign entrepreneurship by loosening restrictions on business visas. But Japanese companies can also serve as fronts for other activities.
Firsky successfully escaped suspicion by operating through multiple companies in China, Japan and the US.
Multiple transaction networks for fentanyl smuggling involve Japan. Mexican cartels, including Sinaloa, are expanding their chemical distribution networks through the port at Yokohama.
asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Trade-
national — who had invested in Amarvel. Although he was only briefly mentioned, a further investigation via social media and other means revealed the individual's real name and background.
The man said on social media that he lived in the city of Naha in Okinawa. Business records showed him as a shareholder in 18 companies in China, Japan and the US. These included Firsky, where he was registered as representative director.
The record of Firsky's activities listed online shows that there are many intersections with Amarvel. At Chinese subsidiary Firsky International Trade (Wuhan), which said it was "a 100% Japanese-owned company," the auditor resigned in July 2024. That auditor had the same name as one of the Amarvel executives found guilty in the US.

On a specialty website, Firsky was selling Amarvel drugs via cryptocurrency transactions. Firsky's sales representative had the same social media username as Amarvel's, and the two companies displayed the same factory pictures on their websites.
Firsky and Amarvel were effectively the same organization.
The Chinese man who established Firsky held major stakes in and senior executive positions at multiple companies. He likely acted as the leader of the organization and is thought to have issued instructions to China and the US from Japan.
The Japan-registered Firsky was suddenly liquidated in July 2024, while the Amarvel trial was moving forward in New York.
The Amarvel executives convicted in the US set up fentanyl-smuggling networks in multiple countries, including Mexico. That raises the possibility that Japan became a conduit for these transactions.

The American authorities are pursuing the leader, but they do not know his whereabouts.
"It is not known or so common for many drug traffickers to go to Japan.” This makes it easier for "Mexicans or different drug traffickers from Mexico, even from the US, to travel to look for the precursors”.
Japan has few drug-related crimes compared with China and India, known as production centers for fentanyl precursors. So Japan is less likely to be scrutinized by the authorities in other countries, making customs inspections easy to clear.
Firsky operated out of a building owned by an executive of a prominent overseas Chinese association.

Japan is promoting foreign entrepreneurship by loosening restrictions on business visas. But Japanese companies can also serve as fronts for other activities.
Firsky successfully escaped suspicion by operating through multiple companies in China, Japan and the US.
Multiple transaction networks for fentanyl smuggling involve Japan. Mexican cartels, including Sinaloa, are expanding their chemical distribution networks through the port at Yokohama.
asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Trade-
🇨🇳 Amarvel Biotech played a key role in a pipeline for fentanyl chemicals going to the US. Amarvel sold chemicals on several specialty e-commerce sites. Website and social media histories show evidence that at least 10 individuals were involved in sales. They worked in English, Spanish and other languages to promote their fentanyl precursors.
The company used various tricks to ship these items, including labeling them as dog food, nuts, beeswax, engine oil and other everyday goods to hide the contents from customs inspectors. After shipping them out of China, Amarvel would reroute them through additional locations to disguise the point of origin.
"Regarding the customs risk in the US, about 99% can be cleared.”
"Perhaps 1 out of 1,000 orders might be detained” but "we may still bring the goods out through some other methods.”
There’re hidden depots in Mexico, the US and elsewhere.
To conceal its operations, Amarvel operated a widespread network of affiliated companies in China, Japan and the US. A cross-border smuggling organization covered its tracks.
Firsky, a company registered in Nagoya, Japan, appears to have served as a command post for its operations.
Xia Fengzhi (夏凤志) held a 100% stake in Wuhan-based Firsky International Trade, where he was listed as the legal representative. In July 2024, this company's auditor, Wang Qingzhou, suddenly resigned. This auditor had the same name as Amarvel's Wang Qingzhou, who was then on trial in New York.
Firsky International Trade operated under the Firsky brand. On its English website, the company said it was 100%-owned by "Japan Firsky," located in Japan.
Tracing the contact information of the Xia at Firsky led to seven other Chinese companies. At one of them, the top shareholder was the same person listed as president of Amarvel. Xia and this president were connected through the operations of multiple companies.
Amarvel and Firsky operated via an intricate web of interlinked companies, websites, and sales representatives.
While operating the smuggling organization, Xia meticulously covered his tracks, working as a behind-the-scenes fixer.
Sentencing for Amarvel Biotech employees Chen Yiyi and Wang Qingzhou is set for August.
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justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/t
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