Mexican drug cartels are now recruiting university chemistry students to enhance fentanyl production, according to a New York Times investigation.

Fentanyl, responsible for 74,702 deaths in the US in 2023 alone, is a synthetic opioid notorious for its potency and addictive properties. To maintain their supply chains and increase product potency, cartels like the Sinaloa cartel are targeting young, skilled chemists to independently synthesize precursor chemicals traditionally imported from China.

Recruiters approach students with tempting offers, often after observing them for weeks. Promising salaries of over $800 per month—double the average pay for chemists in Mexican companies—along with potential bonuses like cars or housing, recruiters capitalize on the financial struggles of young professionals.

These “cooks” are tasked with improving fentanyl’s addictive quality and finding alternative synthesis methods to mitigate supply chain disruptions caused by stricter chemical export controls from China and pandemic-induced bottlenecks.

The Times interviewed seven drug “cooks,” three university chemistry students recruited by the Sinaloa cartel, two agents, a recruiter, and a university professor—all anonymously to avoid cartel retaliation. According to the recruiter, candidates must be passionate, discreet, and indifferent to the ethical consequences of their work.

The university professor highlighted a disturbing trend: students openly expressed interest in synthesizing illicit drugs during lectures. With high-level chemical expertise concentrated in Chinese laboratories, the cartels are desperate to replicate these skills domestically. This shift in recruitment shows, according to the Times, their goal of becoming self-sufficient in precursor production, especially as international restrictions tighten.