Reuters wins Pulitzer for investigation of fentanyl trade
For their seven-part series, 'Fentanyl Express,' Reuters reporters purchased all the ingredients needed to produce fentanyl, revealing how the Chinese chemicals fueling America's synthetic opioid crisis are astonishingly cheap and easy to obtain – and why U.S. authorities are failing to stop the deadly trade.
For just $3,600, the team bought enough precursor chemicals and equipment to make at least $3 million worth of the drug. The Reuters reporters did not make fentanyl, had no intention to do so, and arranged for safe destruction of the chemicals and other materials they purchased.
The series revealed for the first time how the chemical supply chain works and exposed how and why the U.S. government has been unable to stem the flow despite major diplomatic and law-enforcement pushes by the Biden and first Trump administrations.
It was reported by Maurice Tamman, Laura Gottesdiener, Stephen Eisenhammer, Drazen Jorgic, Daisy Chung, Kristina Cooke, Michael Martina, Antoni Slodkowski and Shannon Stapleton.
Working from the U.S., Mexico, China and beyond, the team exposed how Chinese suppliers exploited a loophole in U.S. trade regulations known as the 'de minimis' rule to sneak cheap chemicals past customs inspectors. That rule allowed for tariff-free shipments of parcels worth less than $800, leading to an explosion of imported packages from China in particular. The exemption was ended by the Trump administration last week for shipments from Chinese and Hong Kong sellers.
Other stories showed how Mexican chemical brokers facilitate the trade for that country's powerful drug cartels; how China is fending off U.S. efforts to crack down on the chemical trade; and how a fentanyl-overdose antidote called naloxone is saving thousands of American lives – but isn't ending the U.S. addiction epidemic.
'The 'Fentanyl Express' series is a testament to the power of investigative journalism to drive change and hold those in power accountable,' said Alessandra Galloni, Reuters editor-in-chief. 'I'm incredibly proud of the team for their dedication to telling this important story in unique, rich and personal detail.'
This year's award was the sixth Pulitzer that Reuters has won for reporting, all since 2014, in addition to seven for photography, all since 2008. The prizes were established by newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer in 1917.
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eNCA
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8 hours ago
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Violent crime is more common in the downtown areas of big cities, especially after dark. "Kidnapping is a threat in South Africa. Kidnappers target US citizens and other foreign travelers to steal money. Captors often force victims to withdraw cash or give online account passwords before they are let go. Though rare, some kidnappings involve demanding ransom from families," it said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The Department of State also warns about the risk of terrorist violence and urges US Mission staff use fully armoured vehicles. International relations expert Dr Noluthando Phungula said the US was trying to vilify South Africa as part of a bigger issue. The reality is that there are numerous issues that have caused strain, including the Israel-Palestine conflict, BRICS expansion and perceived alignment with Russia and these differences may be well be among the reasons behind Washington's lashing out against Pretoria. "We cannot deny crime remains a major challenge for the country, but the US is capitalising on this defect in painting SA as a no-go zone. Crime in this country remains a huge challenge which is closely tied to the stark inequalities. This reality continues to fuel the negative perceptions of the country," Phungula said.. South Africa has been added to the list alongside Namibia, Botswana, Belgium, Greenland, Denmark, and Germany. Level 2 indicates moderate risk, unlike Level 4 'Do Not Travel' advisories issued for countries such as Sudan and the DRC. The latest advisory comes more than a year after the US State Department issued another updated Level 2 travel advisory to South Africa in February 2024 in which it warned its citizens to exercise increased caution in the country due to crime and civil unrest. Responding to the alert, Minister of Tourism, Patricia De Lille indicated that context is important as South Africa remains one of the most safe and stable countries in the world. "We respect the sovereign right of all nations to provide guidance to their citizens travelling abroad. We also acknowledge the recent meeting between Presidents Ramaphosa and Trump and the subsequent media coverage that has followed. However, it is important to offer broader context and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety, comfort, and enjoyment of all visitors to our country. Furthermore, the advisory states that there is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity, in South Africa. "Due to the risks, U.S. government employees working in South Africa must obtain special authorisation to travel to many informal settlements (townships) in and around Cape Town. U.S. mission staff must use fully armoured vehicles when visiting and visiting hours are limited to 10am to 3pm," it states.
