A federal grand jury returned a 21-count indictment against a Chinese company and three Chinese nationals for their alleged role in the illegal importation of pill-making equipment, the Department of Justice announced.
According to an indictment returned April 23 and unsealed today, CapsulCN International Co. Ltd. (CapsulCN) and Xiochuan “Ricky” Pan, 40, Tingyan “Monica” Yang, 37, and Xi “Inna” Chen, 30, all of the People’s Republic of China, were charged with smuggling, Controlled Substances Act, and money laundering offenses in connection with CapsulCN’s unlawful import and distribution of tableting machines (also known as “pill presses”), encapsulating machines, and counterfeit die molds capable of producing millions of potentially lethal fake pills. The indictment also charges Pan, CapsulCN’s principal officer and a shareholder, with leading a continuing criminal enterprise. Additionally, four internet domains used by CapsulCN to market and sell illicit pill-making equipment to U.S. customers were seized today in connection with this investigation.
“This indictment and today’s domain seizures send an unmistakable message to criminals in the People’s Republic of China and across the world — the Department will use every weapon in its arsenal to combat those who facilitate the manufacture and distribution of deadly drugs in the United States,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
“This U.S. Attorney’s Office is focused on bringing the full force of justice to anyone who conspires to poison our communities with fentanyl,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “Whether through the importation of pill presses and related materials, as alleged in this indictment, or through trafficking precursor chemicals and the drug itself, it is evident that bad actors are determined to harm Americans with fentanyl. Our federal prosecutors, through collaborative efforts with our law enforcement partners, are determined to stop them.”
“These indictments against Chinese nationals exemplify Homeland Security Investigations’ unwavering commitment to breaking every link of the global fentanyl supply chain,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens of the HSI El Paso Division. “We are committed to continue working hand-in-hand with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to get deadly fentanyl out of our communities and put an end to the chaos and devastation resulting from this epidemic.”
Many of the fake pills containing fentanyl and other controlled substances seized in the United States are manufactured using relatively inexpensive pill-making equipment — such as pill presses, encapsulating machines, and die molds — obtained from Chinese pharmaceutical equipment companies and imported into the United States. These fake pills often mimic the look, feel, and effect of legitimate pharmaceutical drugs and are particularly dangerous and misleading to U.S. consumers, who may falsely believe they are taking legitimate prescription medication that is safer and less addictive than the fentanyl and methamphetamine the pills really contain.
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