Attorney General Alan Wilson and a bipartisan group of attorneys general called on the president and federal government on Mar. 23 to address drug traffickers’ use of messaging apps such as WeChat and its Chinese-based sister app, WeiXin, for fentanyl trafficking and money laundering.
The issue is considered a significant public health and safety threat due to the role these platforms play in facilitating illicit drug profits across borders. The attorneys general are seeking stronger cooperation between U.S. authorities and their Chinese counterparts to close gaps that allow traffickers to move funds undetected.
“Fentanyl isn’t a drug problem anymore. It’s a murder weapon and a weapon of mass destruction being pumped into our country by Mexican drug cartels and Chinese chemical labs,” Wilson said. “This is a public health and public safety threat, and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners are fighting every day to stop the flow of fentanyl.”
Recent efforts by the federal government with state attorneys general have led to expanded access to treatment options, increased detection at ports of entry, crackdowns on precursor chemicals used in fentanyl production, and an overall decline in opioid overdose deaths since 2023 as reported in the announcement.
Law enforcement agencies have identified WeChat’s encrypted platform as a tool used by traffickers for coordinating money laundering activities that send millions from the United States through China back to Mexico where most fentanyl originates. While WeChat has agreed to enhance its anti-money laundering measures—including deploying new identification tools—its sister app WeiXin remains less responsive due to Chinese data privacy laws.
Wilson is joined in this initiative by attorneys general from North Carolina, Colorado, Kentucky, New Hampshire, and New Jersey. They stress that closing information gaps with WeiXin is now an immediate national security priority because many money brokers operate from China.
The South Carolina Attorney General supports victims through advocacy resources contributing to community safety according to the official website. The office serves as South Carolina’s primary legal advocate handling prosecutions, regulations—including securities law—and collaborates closely with state law enforcement agencies according to its official site. Alan Wilson has served as head of this statewide office according to the official website.
A copy of the letter sent by Wilson can be accessed online.
