- Title: U.S. Ambassador to Mexico talks up bilateral ties to take on drugs menace
- Date: 16th May 2017
- Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (MAY 16, 2017) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** U.S. AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO, ROBERTA S. JACOBSON, WALKING ONTO STAGE FOR THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FENTANYL FORENSIC CHEMISTRY WITH OFFICIALS FOLLOWING HER AUDIENCE AT CONFERENCE APPLAUDING GENERAL VIEW OF PANEL AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) U.S. AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO ROBERTA S. JACOBSON, SAYING: "The United States and Mexico have been working closely together for many years to work towards our shared goals of social order and regarding security. We should redouble our efforts to combat drug trafficking and violence that it generates and which has cost the lives of too many Mexicans and Americans on a daily basis." MORE OF AUDIENCE APPLAUDING AT CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) U.S. AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO ROBERTA S. JACOBSON, SAYING: "To increase the regulation of the two precursor chemicals most used in the illicit production of fentanyl. Also, COFEPRIS (Mexico's Federal Commission for the Protection Against Sanitary Risk) are finalising its laws which add these precursors to a list of restricted controlled substances in Mexico. We encourage the rapid approval of these updates." GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE WITH MEXICO'S DEPUTY PROSECUTOR AND IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, ALBERTO ELIAS BELTRAS, ADDRESSING CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICO'S DEPUTY PROSECUTOR AND IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, ALBERTO ELIAS BELTRAN, SAYING: "Overdoses related to fentanyl has increased alarmingly. In Mexico, so far in 2017, there have been four seizures of this substance in different forms. In total, from 2006 to today there have been 16 (seizures). To reduce this problem it is essential to know the nature of it and to strengthen the issue such as in consumption, experiences in seizures and models of concealment, fabrication." OFFICIALS LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 30th May 2017 21:49
- Keywords: U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Roberta S Jacobson Mexico drugs
- Location: MEXICO CITY, MANZANILLO, COLIMA, MEXICO
- City: MEXICO CITY, MANZANILLO, COLIMA, MEXICO
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016H39ZS5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The U.S. Ambassador to Mexico called on the United States and Mexico to double their efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking, a powerful synthetic opioid that is up to 100 times more potent than morphine.
Ambassador Roberta S. Jacobson was at the first National Conference On Fentanyl Forensic Chemistry with both neighbours seeking to boost cooperation against the deadly drug.
According to official statistics, more than 33,000 people died in North America from fentanyl, representing a 72 percent increase from 2014.
Authorities on both sides of the border are seeking to tackle the drug at its source. In Mexico, regulators are set to put the chemicals behind fentanyl on a list of controlled substances.
With security forces in Mexico cracking down on the trafficking of traditional drugs from South America such as cocaine, the popularity of synthetic drugs has increased. Mexico has reported a number of significant seizures of the drug in recent years.
Fentanyl's cheaper price and quick hit has made it a popular drug amongst recreational users. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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