The fentanyl trade, which has fueled a deadly opioid crisis in the United States, has become a focal point in the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and Mexico.

Axar.az, citing BBC, reports that Fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, is mostly trafficked from Mexico, with devastating consequences.

The White House has used fentanyl smuggling as a justification for imposing tariffs on Mexican goods, aiming to pressure the Mexican government to combat the cartels.

The BBC's investigation provides rare insight into the cartel's operations along the U.S.-Mexico border. It reveals the extent of the trafficking, with a dealer named Jay, who distributes thousands of pills weekly in cities like Los Angeles. Fentanyl, due to its potency and ease of production, has become the drug of choice for cartels, overtaking heroin. The drug is cheap to produce and transport, flooding the U.S. market, where its price has drastically dropped, making it more accessible.

Mexican authorities have made efforts to curb the flow of fentanyl, including large seizures of the drug and sending thousands of National Guard troops to the border. However, the trade continues to thrive, partly because of the enormous demand in the U.S., where the opioid epidemic has killed tens of thousands of people.

For the full BBC investigation, Click here.