Saturday, March 29, 2025
Washington, September 24, 2025 — The United States has taken fresh action in its fight against the global fentanyl crisis, imposing sanctions on two Indian nationals accused of supplying illegal drugs to American consumers. The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced restrictions on Sadiq Abbas Habib Sayed and Khizar Mohammad Iqbal Shaikh for their alleged involvement in trafficking fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.
In addition to targeting the individuals, U.S. authorities are also moving to sanction an India-based online pharmacy linked to the same network. Officials said these steps highlight Washington’s determination to crack down on drug traffickers profiting from the opioid epidemic.
“Fentanyl has destroyed countless families. Today, we are holding accountable those who profit from this poison,” said John K. Hurley, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. He added that the Treasury Department remains committed to advancing President Trump’s pledge to make America free from fentanyl by targeting narcotics traffickers worldwide.
According to U.S. authorities, Sayed and Shaikh worked with drug traffickers in the Dominican Republic and the United States, selling counterfeit pills to American buyers. The pills, marketed as legitimate pharmaceuticals, were allegedly laced with fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, and methamphetamine. Investigators said the accused used encrypted messaging platforms to run their operations and distribute the illicit products.
Fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid, has been at the center of the U.S. overdose crisis, which has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in recent years. For Americans aged 18 to 45, opioid overdoses remain the leading cause of death.
The U.S. stressed that its joint drug policy framework with India is crucial in addressing the destructive impact of narcotics. The collaboration focuses on tackling trafficking networks, protecting public health, and strengthening global supply chains against the spread of synthetic drugs.
The sanctions against Sayed and Shaikh underscore Washington’s broader strategy of targeting not only domestic drug cartels but also international suppliers who fuel the crisis.
