Global Kratom Coalition Commends FDA Seizure of Concentrated Synthetic 7-OH Opioid Products

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Vince Sanders’ Shaman Botanicals is among the firms targeted in federal enforcement action.

WASHINGTON, DC, December 9, 2025 (EZ Newswire) -- The Global Kratom Coalition coalition today applauded recent enforcement action by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that resulted in the seizure of approximately 73,000 units of concentrated synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) opioid products from three Missouri warehouses, including facilities operated by Shaman Botanicals, LLC.

Among the seized products, valued at roughly $1 million, were liquid shots and tablets that contained high levels of concentrated synthetic 7-OH as an added ingredient, according to the FDA. These items often masquerade as all-natural supplements or are erroneously labelled as “kratom” products on retail shelves, causing marketplace confusion and adverse health outcomes for consumers.

“In executing this seizure, the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Justice have demonstrated their commitment to keeping lab-made opioid products out of our stores and off our streets,” said Mattew Lowe, executive director of the Global Kratom Coalition. “Such federal enforcement actions are critical to curbing the spread of concentrated synthetic 7-OH and preventing a new wave of America’s opioid epidemic.”

Crucially, concentrated synthetic 7-OH has not been approved by the FDA for medical use, and it cannot be lawfully added to dietary supplements or conventional foods. The FDA’s efforts to distinguish between natural kratom leaf and dangerous synthetic derivatives underscore the established safety profile of this centuries-old botanical, especially compared to lab-made opioid products like those distributed by Shaman Botanicals, LLC, operated by Kansas City kingpin Vince Sanders.

The FDA previously issued a warning letter in June to Sanders’ Shaman Botanicals for illegally marketing products containing concentrated synthetic 7-OH, and Missouri’s attorney general launched a probe in November into Shaman Botanicals and its affiliate, CBD American Shaman, following a deeply reported investigative series by the Kansas City Star. Days later, FDA officials conducted a raid of two Sanders-owned facilities.

The FDA’s latest seizure comes as individual states and localities continue to pursue similar enforcement actions. Earlier this month, Florida authorities and federal partners seized 92,000 pounds of concentrated synthetic 7-OH from a suspect allegedly distributing the substance and seeking to ship it out of state. The operation also recovered 12 rifles, 17 pistols, and five improvised explosive devices.

These operations have grown increasingly necessary in the absence of comprehensive, nationwide action by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Although the FDA in July recommended classifying concentrated synthetic 7-OH as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, the DEA has yet to adopt that recommendation. 

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SOURCE: Global Kratom Coalition

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