Staggering amounts of fentanyl hit streets as the DEA watched and took no action

5 hours ago

The DEA permitted large quantities of fentanyl pills to be distributed in New Mexico between 2023 and 2025, despite monitoring shipments, as part of a strategy to build larger cases against traffickers.
DEA agents reported that this tactic potentially endangered public safety, with one agent stating it 'poisoned our community' and likely contributed to overdose deaths, including that of a 15-month-old toddler.
The Justice Department's "Fentanyl Protocols" initially emphasized seizing fentanyl as soon as practicable, but were revised in 2024 to allow more discretion, balancing public safety against investigative benefits.
A whistleblower complaint filed by DEA Special Agent David Howell highlighted instances where millions of pills were allowed to go unseized, leading to an internal investigation that found the DEA's actions reasonable.
The DEA defended its actions as lawful and consistent with guidelines, focusing on targeting larger trafficking organizations through wiretaps and surveillance, which resulted in record seizures like the 3 million pills bust in 2025.
Critics compared the tactic to the "Operation Fast and Furious" scandal, arguing it violated public safety principles, especially given fentanyl's extreme lethality where 'One Pill Can Kill.'

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