EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A Chinese woman was indicted in El Paso after she was arrested in Las Vegas for alleged distribution of pill press equipment that was used to manufacture illegal drugs laced with fentanyl, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday, Dec. 20.
A federal grand jury in the Western District of Texas charged Xaiofei Chen with two counts related to alleged distribution of pill press equipment that can be used by criminals to manufacture illegal drugs laced with fentanyl.
Chen was arrested by Homeland Security agents on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at a trade show.
Chen sold pill press machines that can used to mold, stamp or die cast to mimic common prescription drugs to produce counterfeit pills that “appear indistinguishable from legitimate pharmaceutical drugs,” the DOJ said.
According to the DOJ, Chen worked for a Chinese-based company that sold the die molds and equipment and Chen would sell the equipment and counterfeit molds to buyers in the U.S.
Chen also allegedly avoided the Drug Enforcement Administration disclosure requirements by breaking down the equipment and shipping parts in separate packages into the U.S., according to the DOJ.
According to the DOJ, the packages that Chen sent with the equipment were mislabeled to conceal the illegal parts.
The equipment included counterfeit dies, with M30 dies meant to copy common prescription drugs that are regularly used to make fake opioid pills.
“The Controlled Substances Act prohibits the sale of pill press equipment and counterfeit die molds to individuals who intend to use these machines unlawfully and requires reporting of certain equipment sales,” the DOJ said.
A federal court in Nevada ordered Chen detained, pending her trial in El Paso where the indictment was returned on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
Chen was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and import a tableting machine used to manufacture a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy to distribute dies designed to imprint and reproduce the trademark, trade name and other identifying mark and imprint of another.
If convicted, Chen faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The HSI and Customs and Border Protection are investigating the case.
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