CHAPTER 28 - SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO FOREIGN TRAFFICKERS OF ILLICIT SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS
Title 21 > CHAPTER 28
Sections (14)
§ 2301 Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that— the United States should apply economic and other financial sanctions to foreign traffickers of illicit opioids to protect the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States and the health of the people of the United States; it is imperative that the People’s Republic of China follow through on full implementation of the new regulations, adopted May 1, 2019 , to treat all fentanyl analogues as controlled substances under the laws of the People’s Republic of China, including by devoting sufficient resources for implementation and strict enforcement of the new regulations; and the effective enforcement of the new regulations should result in diminished trafficking of illicit fentanyl originating from the People’s Republic of China into the United States. ( Pub. L. 116–92, div. F, title LXXII, § 7202 , Dec. 20, 2019 , 133 Stat. 2262 .)
§ 2302 Definitions
In this chapter: The terms “alien”, “national”, and “national of the United States” have the meanings given those terms in section 1101 of title 8 . The term “appropriate congressional committees and leadership” means— the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Committee on the Judiciary, the Select Committee on Intelligence, and the majority leader and the minority leader of the Senate; and the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Financial Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Homeland Security, the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on Oversight and Reform, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Speaker and the minority leader of the House of Representatives. The terms “controlled substance”, “listed chemical”, “narcotic drug”, and “opioid” have the meanings given those terms in section 802 of this title . The term “entity” means a partnership, joint venture, association, corporation, organization, network, group, or subgroup, or any form of business collaboration. The term “foreign opioid trafficker” means— 1 means 1 any foreign person that the President determines plays a significant role in opioid trafficking; and may 1 include— any entity of the People’s Republic of China that the President determines— produces, manufactures, distributes, sells, or knowingly finances or transports any goods described in clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (8)(A); and demonstrates a pattern of failing to take credible steps (including implementing appropriate know-your-customer procedures or cooperating with United States counternarcotics efforts) to detect or prevent opioid trafficking; and any senior official of the Government of the People’s Republic of China that— has significant regulatory or law enforcement responsibilities with respect to the activities of an entity described in clause (i); and aids and abets opioid trafficking. The term “foreign person”— means— any citizen or national of a foreign country; or any entity not organized under the laws of the United States or a jurisdiction within the United States; and does not include the government of a foreign country. The term “knowingly”, with respect to conduct, a circumstance, or a result, means that a person has actual knowledge, or should have known, of the conduct, the circumstance, or the result. The term “opioid trafficking” means any illicit activity— to produce, manufacture, distribute, sell, or knowingly finance or transport— synthetic opioids, including controlled substances that are synthetic opioids and listed chemicals that are synthetic opioids; or active pharmaceutical ingredients or chemicals that are used in the production of controlled substances that are synthetic opioids; to attempt to carry out an activity described in subparagraph (A); or to assist, abet, conspire, or collude with other persons to carry out such an activity. The term “person” means an individual or entity. The term “United States person” means— any citizen or national of the United States; any alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States; any entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States (including a foreign branch of such an entity); or any person located in the United States. ( Pub. L. 116–92, div. F, title LXXII, § 7203 , Dec. 20, 2019 , 133 Stat. 2262 ; Pub. L. 119–60, div. H, title LXXXIII, § 8314 , Dec. 18, 2025 , 139 Stat. 1856 .)
§ 2311 Identification of foreign opioid traffickers
(a) Public report The President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and leadership, in accordance with subsection (c), a report— identifying the foreign persons that the President determines are foreign opioid traffickers; detailing progress the President has made in implementing this subchapter; providing an update on cooperative efforts with the governments of Mexico, the People’s Republic of China, and other countries of concern with respect to combating foreign opioid traffickers; and assessing whether any senior official of any anti-narcotics, regulatory, law enforcement, intelligence, or customs body of the People’s Republic of China— has directly or indirectly taken actions that have facilitated or advanced foreign opioid trafficking; and should be identified as a foreign opioid trafficker. If, at any time after submitting a report required by paragraph (1) and before the submission of the next such report, the President determines that a foreign person not identified in the report is a foreign opioid trafficker, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and leadership an additional report containing the information required by paragraph (1) with respect to the foreign person. In this paragraph, the term “person of the People’s Republic of China” means— an individual who is a citizen or national of the People’s Republic of China; or an entity organized under the laws of the People’s Republic of China or otherwise subject to the jurisdiction of the Government of the People’s Republic of China. In preparing the report required under paragraph (1), the President shall direct the Secretary of the Treasury to prioritize, to the greatest extent practicable, the identification of persons of the People’s Republic of China involved in the shipment of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, fentanyl precursors, precursors for fentanyl analogues, pre-precursors for fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, and equipment for the manufacturing of fentanyl and fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills to Mexico or any other country that is involved in the production of fentanyl trafficked into the United States, including— any entity involved in the production of pharmaceuticals; and any person that is acting on behalf of any such entity. The President shall continue the prioritization required under subparagraph (B) until the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the People’s Republic of China is no longer the primary source for the shipment of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, fentanyl precursors, precursors for fentanyl analogues, pre-precursors for fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, and equipment for the manufacturing of fentanyl and fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills to Mexico or any other country that is involved in the production of fentanyl trafficked into the United States. The President shall not be required to include in a report under paragraph (1) or (2) any persons with respect to which the United States has imposed sanctions before the date of the report under this subchapter or any other provision of law with respect to opioid trafficking. Each report required by paragraph (1) or (2) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex. The unclassified portion of a report required by paragraph (1) or (2) shall be made available to the public.
(b) Classified report The President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and leadership, in accordance with subsection (c), a report, in classified form— describing in detail the status of sanctions imposed under this subchapter, including the personnel and resources directed toward the imposition of such sanctions during the preceding fiscal year; providing background information with respect to persons newly identified as foreign opioid traffickers and their illicit activities; describing actions the President intends to undertake or has undertaken to implement this subchapter; and providing a strategy for identifying additional foreign opioid traffickers. The report required by paragraph (1) is in addition to, and in no way delimits or restricts, the obligations of the President to keep Congress fully and currently informed pursuant to the provisions of the National Security Act of 1947 ( 50 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.).
(c) Submission of reports Not later than 180 days after December 20, 2019 , and annually thereafter until December 31, 2030 , the President shall submit the reports required by subsections (a) and (b) to the appropriate congressional committees and leadership.
(d) Exclusion of certain information Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a report required by subsection (a) or (b) shall not disclose the identity of any person if the Director of National Intelligence determines that such disclosure could compromise an intelligence operation, activity, source, or method of the United States. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a report required by subsection (a) or (b) shall not disclose the identity of any person if the Attorney General, in coordination, as appropriate, with the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of State, and the head of any other appropriate Federal law enforcement agency, determines that such disclosure could reasonably be expected— to compromise the identity of a confidential source, including a State, local, or foreign agency or authority or any private institution that furnished information on a confidential basis; to jeopardize the integrity or success of an ongoing criminal investigation or prosecution; to endanger the life or physical safety of any person; or to cause substantial harm to physical property. If the Director of National Intelligence makes a determination under paragraph (1) or the Attorney General makes a determination under paragraph (2), the Director or the Attorney General, as the case may be, shall notify the appropriate congressional committees and leadership of the determination and the reasons for the determination. Nothing in this section may be construed to authorize or compel the disclosure of information determined by the President to be law enforcement information, classified information, national security information, or other information the disclosure of which is prohibited by any other provision of law.
(e) Provision of information required for reports The Secretary of the Treasury, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence shall consult among themselves and provide to the President and the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy the appropriate and necessary information to enable the President to submit the reports required by subsection (a).
§ 2312 Imposition of sanctions
The President shall impose five or more of the sanctions described in section 2313 of this title with respect to each foreign person that is an entity, and four or more of such sanctions with respect to each foreign person that is an individual, that— is identified as a foreign opioid trafficker in a report submitted under section 2311(a) of this title ; the President determines is owned, controlled, directed by, knowingly supplying or sourcing precursors for, or knowingly acting for or on behalf of, such a foreign opioid trafficker; the President determines has knowingly engaged in, on or after December 18, 2025 , a pattern of significant activity that has materially contributed to opioid trafficking; or the President determines— has knowingly engaged in a pattern of providing significant financial, material, or technological support for, including through the provision of goods or services in support of, any activity or transaction described in paragraph (3); or is owned, controlled, or directed by any foreign person described in subparagraph (A) or in paragraph (3), or has knowingly acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, such a foreign person. ( Pub. L. 116–92, div. F, title LXXII, § 7212 , Dec. 20, 2019 , 133 Stat. 2265 ; Pub. L. 119–60, div. H, title LXXXIII, § 8316 , Dec. 18, 2025 , 139 Stat. 1858 .)
§ 2313 Description of sanctions
(a) In general The sanctions that may be imposed with respect to a foreign person under section 2312 of this title are the following: The United States Government may prohibit any United States financial institution from making loans or providing credits to the foreign person. The following prohibitions may be imposed with respect to a foreign person that is a financial institution: Neither the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System nor the Federal Reserve Bank of New York may designate, or permit the continuation of any prior designation of, the financial institution as a primary dealer in United States Government debt instruments. The financial institution may not serve as agent of the United States Government or serve as repository for United States Government funds. The imposition of either sanction under subparagraph (A) or (B) shall be treated as one sanction for purposes of section 2312 of this title , and the imposition of both such sanctions shall be treated as 2 sanctions for purposes of that section. The United States Government may not procure, or enter into any contract for the procurement of, any goods or services from the foreign person. The President may, pursuant to such regulations as the President may prescribe, prohibit any transactions in foreign exchange that are subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and in which the foreign person has any interest. The President may, pursuant to such regulations as the President may prescribe, prohibit any transfers of credit or payments between financial institutions or by, through, or to any financial institution, to the extent that such transfers or payments are subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and involve any interest of the foreign person. The President may, pursuant to such regulations as the President may prescribe, prohibit any person from— acquiring, holding, withholding, using, transferring, withdrawing, or transporting any property that is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and with respect to which the foreign person has any interest; dealing in or exercising any right, power, or privilege with respect to such property; or conducting any transaction involving such property. The President may, pursuant to such regulations or guidelines as the President may prescribe, prohibit any United States person from investing in or purchasing significant amounts of equity or debt instruments of the foreign person. The President may direct the Secretary of State to deny a visa to, and the Secretary of Homeland Security to exclude from the United States, any alien that the President determines is a corporate officer or principal of, or a shareholder with a controlling interest in, the foreign person. The President may impose on the principal executive officer or officers of the foreign person, or on individuals performing similar functions and with similar authorities as such officer or officers, any of the sanctions described in paragraphs (1) through (8) that are applicable.
(b) Penalties A person that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of any regulation, license, or order issued to carry out subsection (a) shall be subject to the penalties set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of section 1705 of title 50 to the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful act described in subsection (a) of that section.
(c) Exceptions Sanctions under this section shall not apply with respect to— any activity subject to the reporting requirements under title V of the National Security Act of 1947 ( 50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq.); or any authorized intelligence or law enforcement activities of the United States. Sanctions under subsection (a)(8) shall not apply to an alien if admitting the alien into the United States is necessary to permit the United States to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947 , and entered into force November 21, 1947 , between the United Nations and the United States, the Convention on Consular Relations, done at Vienna April 24, 1963 , and entered into force March 19, 1967 , or other applicable international obligations.
(d) Implementation The President may exercise all authorities provided under sections 1702 and 1704 of title 50 to carry out this section.
§ 2313a Designation of transactions of sanctioned persons as of primary money laundering concern
(a) In general If the Secretary of the Treasury determines that reasonable grounds exist for concluding that 1 or more financial institutions operating outside of the United States, 1 or more classes of transactions within, or involving, a jurisdiction outside of the United States, or 1 or more types of accounts within, or involving, a jurisdiction outside of the United States, is of primary money laundering concern in connection with illicit opioid trafficking, the Secretary of the Treasury may, by order, regulation, or otherwise as permitted by law— require domestic financial institutions and domestic financial agencies to take 1 or more of the special measures provided for in section 9714(a)(1) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( Public Law 116–283 ; 31 U.S.C. 5318A note); or prohibit, or impose conditions upon, certain transmittals of funds (to be defined by the Secretary) by any domestic financial institution or domestic financial agency, if such transmittal of funds involves any such institution, class of transaction, or type of accounts.
(b) Classified information In any judicial review of a finding of the existence of a primary money laundering concern, or of the requirement for 1 or more special measures with respect to a primary money laundering concern made under this section, if the designation or imposition, or both, were based on classified information (as defined in section 1(a) of the Classified Information Procedures Act (18 U.S.C. App.)), such information may be submitted by the Secretary to the reviewing court ex parte and in camera. This subsection does not confer or imply any right to judicial review of any finding made or any requirement imposed under this section.
(c) Availability of information The exemptions from, and prohibitions on, search and disclosure referred to in section 9714(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( Public Law 116–283 ; 31 U.S.C. 5318A note) shall apply to any report or record of report filed pursuant to a requirement imposed under subsection (a). For purposes of section 552 of title 5 , this subsection shall be considered a statute described in subsection (b)(3)(B) of such section.
(d) Penalties The penalties referred to in section 9714(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( Public Law 116–283 ; 31 U.S.C. 5318A note) shall apply to violations of any order, regulation, special measure, or other requirement imposed under subsection (a), in the same manner and to the same extent as described in such section 9714(d).
(e) Injunctions The Secretary of the Treasury may bring a civil action to enjoin a violation of any order, regulation, special measure, or other requirement imposed under subsection (a) in the same manner and to the same extent as described in section 9714(e) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( Public Law 116–283 ; 31 U.S.C. 5318A note).
§ 2314 Waivers
(a) Waiver for state-owned entities in countries that cooperate in multilateral anti-trafficking efforts The President may waive for a period of not more than 12 months the application of sanctions under this subchapter with respect to an entity that is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by a foreign government or any political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of a foreign government, if, not less than 15 days before the waiver is to take effect, the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees and leadership that the foreign government is closely cooperating with the United States in efforts to prevent opioid trafficking. The President may certify under paragraph (1) that a foreign government is closely cooperating with the United States in efforts to prevent opioid trafficking if that government is— implementing domestic laws to schedule all fentanyl analogues as controlled substances; and doing two or more of the following: Implementing substantial improvements in regulations involving the chemical and pharmaceutical production and export of illicit opioids. Implementing substantial improvements in judicial regulations to combat transnational criminal organizations that traffic opioids. Increasing efforts to prosecute foreign opioid traffickers. Increasing intelligence sharing and law enforcement cooperation with the United States with respect to opioid trafficking. The President may renew a waiver under paragraph (1) for subsequent periods of not more than 12 months each if, not less than 15 days before the renewal is to take effect, the Secretary of State certifies to the appropriate congressional committees and leadership that the government of the country to which the waiver applies has effectively implemented and is effectively enforcing the measures that formed the basis for the certification under paragraph (2).
(b) Waivers for national security and access to prescription medications The President may waive the application of sanctions under this subchapter if the President determines that the application of such sanctions would harm— the national security interests of the United States; or subject to paragraph (2), the access of United States persons to prescription medications. The President shall establish a monitoring program to verify that a person that receives a waiver under paragraph (1)(B) is not trafficking illicit opioids. Not later than 15 days after making a determination under paragraph (1), the President shall notify the appropriate congressional committees and leadership of the determination and the reasons for the determination.
(c) Humanitarian waiver The President may waive, for renewable periods of 180 days, the application of the sanctions under this subchapter if the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees and leadership that the waiver is necessary for the provision of humanitarian assistance.
§ 2315 Procedures for judicial review of classified information
(a) In general If a finding under this subchapter, or a prohibition, condition, or penalty imposed as a result of any such finding, is based on classified information (as defined in section 1(a) of the Classified Information Procedures Act (18 U.S.C. App.)) and a court reviews the finding or the imposition of the prohibition, condition, or penalty, the President may submit such information to the court ex parte and in camera.
(b) Rule of construction Nothing in this section shall be construed— to confer or imply any right to judicial review of any finding under this subchapter, or any prohibition, condition, or penalty imposed as a result of any such finding; or to limit or restrict any other practice, procedure, right, remedy, or safeguard that— relates to the protection of classified information; and is available to the United States in connection with any type of administrative hearing, litigation, or other proceeding.
§ 2316 Briefings on implementation
Not later than 90 days after December 20, 2019 , and every 180 days thereafter until the date that is 5 years after December 20, 2019 , the President, acting through the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall provide to the appropriate congressional committees and leadership a comprehensive briefing on efforts to implement this subchapter. ( Pub. L. 116–92, div. F, title LXXII, § 7216 , Dec. 20, 2019 , 133 Stat. 2269 .)
§ 2331 Director of National Intelligence program on use of intelligence resources in efforts to sanction foreign opioid traffickers
(a) Program required The Director of National Intelligence shall, in consultation with the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, carry out a program to allocate and enhance use of resources of the intelligence community, including intelligence collection and analysis, to assist the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of State, and the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration in efforts to identify and impose sanctions with respect to foreign opioid traffickers under subchapter I. To the extent practicable, efforts described in paragraph (1) shall— take into account specific illicit finance risks related to narcotics trafficking; and be developed in consultation with the Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Crimes, appropriate officials of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of the Treasury, the Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and appropriate Federal law enforcement agencies.
(b) Review of counternarcotics efforts of the intelligence community The Director of National Intelligence shall, in coordination with the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, carry out a comprehensive review of the current intelligence collection priorities of the intelligence community for counternarcotics purposes in order to identify whether such priorities are appropriate and sufficient in light of the number of lives lost in the United States each year due to use of illegal drugs.
(c) Reports and briefings Not later than 90 days after December 20, 2019 , and annually thereafter, the Director of National Intelligence and the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional committees and leadership a report on the status and accomplishments of the program required by subsection (a) during the year ending on the date of the report. The first report under this subparagraph shall also include a description of the amount of funds devoted by the intelligence community to the efforts described in subsection (a) during each of fiscal years 2017 and 2018. On a semiannual basis, the Director of National Intelligence and the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy shall jointly brief the appropriate congressional committees and leadership on the status and accomplishments of the program required by subsection (a). Not later than 120 days after December 20, 2019 , the Director of National Intelligence, in consultation with the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy and other relevant agencies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and leadership— a comprehensive description of the results of the review required by subsection (b); and an assessment of whether— the priorities described in that subsection are appropriate and sufficient in light of the number of lives lost in the United States each year due to use of illegal drugs; and any changes to such priorities are necessary.
(d) Intelligence community defined In this section, the term “intelligence community” has the meaning given that term in section 3003(4) of title 50 .
§ 2332 Authorization of appropriations
(a) Department of the Treasury There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Treasury such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020 to carry out operations and activities of the Department of the Treasury solely for purposes of carrying out this chapter.
(b) Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking Of the amount authorized to be appropriated by section 1403 for fiscal year 2020 [ 133 Stat. 1711 ] and available for Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense-wide, as specified in the funding table in section 4501 [ 133 Stat. 2086 ], the Secretary of Defense may, notwithstanding section 2215 of title 10 , transfer $5,000,000 to the Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking established under section 7221 [ 133 Stat. 2270 ] in order to carry out the duties of the Commission.
(c) Supplement not supplant Amounts authorized to be appropriated by subsection (a) shall supplement and not supplant other amounts available to carry out operations and activities described in such subsections.
(d) Notification requirement Amounts authorized to be appropriated by subsection (a) may not be obligated until 15 days after the date on which the President notifies the appropriate committees of Congress of the President’s intention to obligate such funds.
(e) Appropriate committees of Congress defined In this section, the term “appropriate committees of Congress” means— the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Financial Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
§ 2333 Regulatory authority
Not later than 90 days after December 20, 2019 , the President shall issue such regulations as are necessary to carry out this chapter, including guidance with respect to what activities are included under the definition of “opioid trafficking” under section 2302(8) of this title . ( Pub. L. 116–92, div. F, title LXXII, § 7233 , Dec. 20, 2019 , 133 Stat. 2275 .)
§ 2334 Termination
The provisions of this chapter, and any sanctions imposed pursuant to this chapter, shall terminate on the date that is 7 years after December 20, 2019 . ( Pub. L. 116–92, div. F, title LXXII, § 7234 , Dec. 20, 2019 , 133 Stat. 2275 .)
§ 2335 Exception relating to importation of goods
(a) In general The authorities and requirements to impose sanctions under this chapter shall not include the authority or a requirement to impose sanctions on the importation of goods.
(b) Good defined In this section, the term “good” means any article, natural or manmade substance, material, supply, or manufactured product, including inspection and test equipment, and excluding technical data.