Below is a translation of comments made by Alejandro Svarch Pérez, Director General Of IMSS-Bienestar, and Lieutenant Juana Peñaloza Ibarra, Field Chemist Analyst For Precursors At The Secretariat Of The Navy, during the January 2, 2025 press conference in Mexico City addressing a recent story published by The New York Times on December 29, 2024 titled: “‘This Is What Makes Us Rich’: Inside a Sinaloa Cartel Fentanyl Lab”.
Field Chemist Analyst For Precursors At The Secretariat Of The Navy, Juana Peñaloza Ibarra:
On December 29 of this year, the news outlet The New York Times published an article titled “Inside a Sinaloa Cartel Fentanyl Lab,” which claims that two of its reporters, along with a photographer, witnessed the dangerous fentanyl production process in a secret lab located in downtown Culiacán, allegedly operated by two members of a criminal group.
Attached to the article are two short, soundless videos and four photographs related to the supposed fentanyl synthesis process.
In the first video, a 10-second silent clip, two unidentified men are seen handling two pots of boiling white liquid on a stove, above which there is a small vapor extractor. According to the article, the men stated they were performing the first step of the process, “activating the main chemical ingredient used to make fentanyl,” though the names of the chemical precursors used were not specified.
For personal protective equipment, the men are only seen wearing cloth bandanas covering their eyes and three-ply blue fabric face masks.
The setting appears to be a kitchen with a window approximately one square meter in size. Ingredients such as sauces, alcoholic beverages, and other household appliances can also be seen in the room.
In a second 13-second silent video, one unidentified man is shown handling an aluminum container with blue powder, which is claimed to be fentanyl. No personal protective equipment is observed during this activity, indicating direct exposure to the supposed fentanyl powder.
In the first image, white powder is visible on a circular table near a light source, which the article claims is “finished fentanyl.”
In the second image, the only chemicals mentioned in the article—sodium hydroxide and acetone—are shown. These substances are essential chemicals used in the production of some synthetic drugs.
The term “essential chemicals” refers to substances used in synthesis that do not integrate into the final molecule or product but serve as solvents or catalysts, among other roles.
In the third image, an unidentified man is seen adding blue dye to the supposed finished fentanyl product, this time using latex gloves. The use of blue dye gives the tablets the characteristic appearance of M30 pills, often associated with methadone.
Based on the analysis of the article, it is not possible to gather sufficient evidence to confirm that fentanyl hydrochloride synthesis took place at the location described. The article provides little to no detail about the synthesis process or the chemicals involved.
Throughout the videos and article, key chemical precursors necessary for fentanyl synthesis—such as 4-ANPP, aniline, and propionyl chloride—are neither observed nor mentioned. Only essential chemicals like sodium hydroxide and acetone are shown.
The absence of minimum required personal protective equipment to prevent intoxication from toxic gases released during the synthesis reaction, or direct exposure to pure fentanyl hydrochloride, is notable. The primary exposure routes for opioids include inhalation, dermal absorption, and ingestion, making gloves and self-contained breathing apparatus essential for such activities.
In one part of the video, the supposed “cooks” claim they do not require the same personal protective equipment as the reporters because they have developed a “tolerance to the lethal drug.” While factors such as a person’s physical characteristics can influence toxicity, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. Furthermore, the use of balaclavas or cloth bandanas, along with three-ply fabric masks, likely serves to conceal identity rather than provide personal protection.
Regarding the claim made by the supposed “cooks” about the rapid relocation of their lab following the dismantling of a safe house by the Mexican Army hours earlier, this does not align with the usual criminal dynamics observed. Typically, such actions lead to an interruption or postponement of illicit activities for a longer period until a suitable location is found to resume operations.
For these reasons, it is concluded that the information presented in The New York Times article does not provide sufficient evidence to document a fentanyl hydrochloride synthesis lab.
Director General Of IMSS-Bienestar, Alejandro Svarch Pérez:
The toxic dose of fentanyl starts at 0.2 milligrams; to give you a sense of scale, that is 200 micrograms—equivalent to 3 or 4 tiny grains of salt.
Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than morphine.
The toxicity and potency depend on the dose; in other words, the greater the potency, the smaller the exposure dose required to produce a toxic effect. This means that when a person is exposed to a powerful synthetic opioid through inhalation or contact with mucous membranes, even in an amount as small as 4 or 5 tiny grains of salt, it can cause a degree of toxicity that endangers their life.
There is no scientifically documented physiological phenomenon known as “lethal tolerance to toxicity.”
This explains why a laboratory is indispensable to control exposure conditions, with specialized equipment for chemical synthesis and professional ventilation systems—not a household kitchen, as suggested in the report.
It is not possible to produce fentanyl in the manner described in the article.