The United States has designated 23 countries as major drug transit and producing nations, including India, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Bahamas, Bolivia, Myanmar, Colombia, and several others, according to the Hindustan Times.
The US State Department clarified that inclusion on the list does not necessarily indicate a government has failed in counter-narcotics efforts, nor does it reflect the level of cooperation with the United States, reports Hindustan Times.
The designation is based mainly on geographic location, trade activity, and economic conditions that make countries vulnerable to drug production or trafficking.
US President Donald Trump highlighted Afghanistan, Bolivia, Myanmar, Colombia, and Venezuela as nations that have “failed demonstrably” in the past 12 months to meet international counter-narcotics commitments.
The State Department warned that international criminal networks trafficking fentanyl and other synthetic drugs have created a national emergency in the United States, now the leading cause of death among Americans aged 18 to 44. Trump called on Chinese authorities to take firm action against the flow of nitazenes, methamphetamines, and other illicit drugs and prosecute those involved.
“More than 40% of Americans know someone who has died from an opioid overdose, and in 2024 we averaged over 200 deaths daily due to illicit drugs,” Trump said. “This remains unacceptable, and my Administration is deploying every aspect of American power and unprecedented resources to defeat this threat.”
