A Chinese Fentanyl Smuggling Network’s Footprints in Japan

Bellingcat, collaborating with Nikkei, details how Chinese chemical supplier Hubei Amarvel Biotech (AmarvelBio) and Japan-registered Firsky are effectively the same network facilitating fentanyl precursor trafficking, corroborated by subpoenaed domain records, darknet marketplace posts, and e-commerce listings that share registrants, contacts, imagery, and certificates. Despite DEA seizures of related domains and the U.S. conviction of two AmarvelBio employees, new sites and listings persisted, including Firsky-branded properties tied back to Amarvel-linked emails and assets. The investigation suggests Japan was leveraged as a lower-scrutiny base for logistics while operations continue from China, with alleged Japan-based leader Xia Fengzhi unaccounted for.