China's alleged 'Fentanyl King' and the Mexican cartels

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Pascale Harter introduces stories from Mexico's fentanyl factories, the Ukrainian city of Odesa on the Black Sea, and the food-filled streets of Naples in southern Italy. Over the decades, Mexican drug cartels have moved from exporting home-grown marijuana and heroin into trafficking cocaine from Latin America - and then into the manufacture of synthetic drugs like fentanyl. This man-made, potentially lethal opioid has to be made with industrial chemical precursors, and there's been a long dispute between the US and China over the alleged sale of these ingredients from the vast Chinese chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Shawn Yuan has been on the trail of one man, Zhang Zhidong, now awaiting trial in the US on charges of enabling the deal-making between Chinese companies and Mexican cartels. Zhang denies all the charges. The bewitching city of Odesa, on the shores of the Black Sea, is famous for its stew of cultural influences, its gorgeous architecture - and its residents' sense of humour. But this summer, as Ukraine and Russia have attacked each others' commercial shipping and facilities on land and at sea, there's little to laugh about. Paul Adams reports. Almost everywhere you look on the streets of Naples, there's something delicious to eat on offer. But these days, traditional Italian treats are being edged out - or just overloaded - with processed junk food and added calories. That's having a drastic effect on young people's weight, with childhood obesity on the rise. Sofia Bettiza examines how a change in food culture is risking children's future health. Producer: Polly Hope Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison (Image: Chinese national Zhang Zhidong, aka “Brother Wang”, was arrested in Mexico City in 2024. Credit: BBC / Secretary Omar Harfuch of Mexico's Security and Citizen Protection)