Mexican drug cartels use cryptocurrencies to produce fentanyl

We also purchase tablet presses, molds and other equipment from Chinese companies.

In addition to anonymous and regular cryptocurrencies, death merchants also use regulated stablecoins such as USDT. To purchase equipment, they send digital assets to people associated with Chinese suppliers or other intermediaries. Shell companies are also used.

However, FinCEN experts emphasize that drug cartels also use any other financial instruments: some of the funds go through banks, some through payment companies and online systems. Most payments are denominated in US dollars.

Last year, FinCEN warned that digital assets were increasingly being used by terrorists.