AI-Summary – News For Tomorrow
Fugitive Zhang, wanted in the US on fentanyl-related charges, has been extradited from Cuba after escaping house arrest there in July. National Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch thanked the Cuban government for their cooperation in recapturing him. The US Department of Justice has not yet commented. Fentanyl is a major cause of overdose deaths in the US, and the US accuses China of failing to stop the flow of precursor chemicals. The extradition comes as the US presses China on fentanyl production, an issue former president Trump has emphasized. China has accused the US of “blackmail” over the issue. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated they are “not aware of the specific situation.”
News summary provided by Gemini AI.
On July 11 this year he escaped from house arrest and was later recaptured in Cuba, National Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch said in a post on X.
“Today he was handed over to the United States authorities,” Harfuch said on Thursday.
He thanked the Cuban government for its “valuable cooperation” in recapturing Zhang.
CNN has reached out to the US Department of Justice for comment.
Fentanyl is a leading cause of US overdose deaths and Washington has accused Beijing of failing to curb the flow of precursor chemicals used in its production.
“The first question I’m going to be asking him about is fentanyl,” Trump said. “I’m putting it right at the front of the list.”
Beijing has accused Washington of attempting to “blackmail” China over the issue.
Asked about Zhang’s case at a regular press briefing by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, a spokesperson said they were “not aware of the specific situation.”
