US sanctions Chinese, Mexican companies over pill making machinery

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The United States Treasury has sanctioned more than a dozen people and businesses in China and Mexico that allegedly helped provide machines used to make counterfeit prescription drugs in the latest efforts to confront trafficking of the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl. Those targeted for sanctions Tuesday were all involved in one or another with the sale of pill press machines, molds and other equipment drug cartels use to produce counterfeit pills. The sanctions imposed by Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) freeze assets of the companies and people in the United States.