On December 9, the Dutch prosecution announced the interception of 25 kg of N-boc-4-piperidone, a crucial precursor for producing the synthetic opioid fentanyl.
Authorities discovered the substance, a white powder, on December 3. While it is unclear where the chemicals were destined, prosecutors stressed there were no signs they were intended for medical use.
Law enforcement officials estimate that the seized quantity could have been used to manufacture over 15 million doses of 2-milligram fentanyl.
Reuters reported that, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), fentanyl is the leading cause of death among Americans aged 18 to 45. U.S. government data also shows nearly 75,000 overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids, mainly fentanyl, in the past year.
