South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has joined a bipartisan coalition demanding WeChat, a Chinese messaging app, take stronger action against fentanyl trafficking and illegal money laundering on its platform. The coalition of six attorneys general contends that WeChat has become a “digital safe haven” for these criminal activities, aiding cartels in distributing the deadly drug and moving illicit funds.
Wilson stated that WeChat is knowingly facilitating the flow of poison into American communities and the movement of drug money. The attorneys general are demanding specific answers from WeChat within 30 days regarding measures being implemented to stop these unlawful activities.
Investigations have revealed that fentanyl traffickers use WeChat’s encryption to coordinate money laundering, moving millions from the U.S. to China and then to Mexico, where most fentanyl originates. WeChat has been implicated in numerous fentanyl-related criminal prosecutions nationwide, yet the attorneys general argue the company has not adequately addressed the issue.
Joining Attorney General Wilson are attorneys general from North Carolina, Colorado, Mississippi, New Hampshire, and New Jersey. They are urging WeChat to take immediate steps to prevent its platform from being exploited by criminal organizations.
