No Visas For Indian Businesspersons, Family With Drug Trafficking Links: US

The United States has revoked the visas of Indian businesspersons and their family members, and denied subsequent re-applications, based on their involvement in trafficking 'precursors' of fentanyl, the synthetic opiod behind a drugs crisis in that country, the American embassy in Delhi said Thursday.

The statement did not name anyone but said the decision to deny visas would make them and close family members 'ineligible for travel to the United States'. It also said the embassy will flag the executive leadership of companies known to have trafficked fentanyl precursors when they apply for visas.

"The US Delhi remains steadfast in its commitment to combating drug trafficking. Individuals and organisations involved in the illegal production and trafficking of drugs to the United States will, with their families, face consequences that may include being denied access to the US," the embassy said.

The embassy also said it is 'grateful to our counterparts in the Govermnment of India for their close cooperation in combating this shared challenge'. "Only by working together will our two governments address this transanational threat, and keep both our peoples safe from illicit drugs."

Stopping the flow of fentanyl and its precursors into the United States is one of our highest priorities. We have revoked visas for company executives and family for the unlawful involvement in controlled substance trafficking, including fentanyl. Those who facilitate the flow of… pic.twitter.com/atWupz7WLG

— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) September 18, 2025

Fentanyl is a mass-produced drug that is 50 times more powerful than heroin.

In February US officials labelled it 'the leading cause of death among people aged 18 to 45', and accused China of being "the main source for all fentanyl-related substances' trafficked into the country.

On February 1 US President Donald Trump imposed a 10 per cent tariff on goods from China and a 25 per cent levy on Mexican and Canadian goods, demanding they curb the flow of fentanyl into the US.

In August those tariffs were raised as China and US fought a fierce tariff war.

Approved for medical use in the 1960s - as a pain reliever - it has since become a leading cause of opiod-related deaths in the US; over 48,000 died in 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

It is a highly dangerous substance since a dose as small as two milligrams can be fatal.

With input from agencies

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