Two men accused of smuggling powerful opioid to Miami, for making into fake pills
A Nevada man and a Chinese national have been charged with importing an opioid more powerful than fentanyl and supplying the powdered substance to a Miami associate who made counterfeit pills to distribute across the country.
Seven Schmidt of Las Vegas and Jia Guo, aka, “OXY GUY,” of China have been charged with conspiring to import protonitazene and distribute the illegal opioid powder into the United States, according to a federal indictment unsealed in Miami on Monday
Schmidt was arrested in Las Vegas on Thursday, had his first federal court appearance and will be transferred to Miami to face the conspiracy charges. The Chinese Ministry of Public Security arrested Guo in China last month.
Chinese authorities also arrested a freight forwarder with whom Guo is accused of conspiring to send the illicit parcels to Schmidt and others. One of the persons is co-conspirator 1 in Miami. That co-conspirator has not been charged in the case led by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The arrests are the result of an investigation between the DEA and the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, which have increasingly collaborated on cases. The phenomenon of illicit narcotics being shipped from China to the United States was chronicled a decade ago in a Miami Herald series, “China Pipeline,” which detailed the trafficking of synthetic drugs, such as MDMA, or “Molly,” and fentanyl, a deadly form of heroin.
Read More: South Florida’s source for synthetic drugs: The China pipeline
Guo and Schmidt operated a drug-trafficking organization that sourced protonitazene overseas and shipped the powdered substance to the United States, including Las Vegas, Miami and other places, the indictment alleged. Protonitazene, often used in counterfeit pill production, is significantly more powerful than fentanyl, authorities say, estimating that 200 grams can produce hundreds of thousands of pills.
Guo, in text messages with Schmidt and others, talked about his supply and the danger of trafficking the illicit substance from China to the United States, according to the indictment.
On Feb. 11, Guo, identified as OXY GUY, texted the co-conspirators: “I can give you all the info, Im the supplier so I know what I have, cut or uncut)” ... will also tell you what is the active per pill needed.”
Guo, identified in another text as “idmaster21,” wrote them: “Chinese government is crazy ... if they find I’m still sending banned stuff they will try to find me and sentence me bad”
‘... one pill can kill’
Guo coordinated the illegal procurement and shipment of protonitazene from China to co-conspirators, including the associate in Miami, according to the indictment. That associate, who is unnamed in the indictment, used a pill presser supplied by Guo to manufacture counterfeit pills for distribution across the country.
The indictment alleges that Schmidt ordered quantities of the counterfeit pills and arranged for their shipment from South Florida to Nevada, using the U.S. Postal Service.
“These pills are made to look familiar, but one pill can kill,” U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quinones in Miami said in a statement. “If you use South Florida as a gateway to import synthetic opioids, make counterfeit pills, or profit from addiction, you will face federal prosecution.”
The case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Monique Botero, was investigated by the DEA, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and several police agencies, along with significant assistance from the Chinese Ministry of Public Security.
“The bilateral investigation with the Chinese Ministry of Public Security underscores DEA Asia Pacific Division’s unwavering commitment to the protection of American lives,” said Special Agent in Charge David L. King, who credited the Chinese for their “thorough and swift investigative work on this case.”
This story was originally published May 11, 2026 at 6:15 PM.