Honduras has emerged as a new route in the trafficking of fentanyl to the United States. The discovery of a significant quantity of fentanyl in Puerto Cortés indicates a shift from traditional trafficking routes through Guatemala and Mexico. Fentanyl, an opioid far more potent than heroin and morphine, poses significant risks due to its high potency and ease of concealment. The U.S. has seen a dramatic increase in fentanyl-related deaths. With recent seizures in Honduras, authorities are investigating the extent of this new trafficking trend and its potential impact on Central America.
This drug was developed more than 50 years ago, costs between three and five dollars for a 500 microgram dose (1 gram contains one million micrograms; one kilogram contains one hundred million micrograms ), it is used in liquid or powder and 50 times more. more powerful than heroin and 100 times more powerful than morphine, so its strength makes those who eat it look like “zombies” and in just two milligrams the dose can be fatal.
Because fentanyl is so potent, small amounts can easily be hidden in vehicles. One kilogram of fentanyl powder can contain more than 50 thousand doses. Cheap and easy-to-produce fentanyl has largely displaced heroin.
In the United States, the transition from heroin to fentanyl has been dramatic. Since 2015, for every American who has had a fatal heroin overdose, seven more people have died from an overdose of fentanyl or its derivatives, with a total of more than 325,000, the data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed. United States (CDC) ).