The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) allowed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to hit the streets of New Mexico between 2023 and 2025 while monitoring shipments but not seizing them, according to current and former DEA agents and government records reviewed by The Associated Press.
Key Takeaways
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) permitted hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to reach the streets of New Mexico between 2023 and 2025 while monitoring shipments but not seizing them, according to current and former DEA agents and government records reviewed by The Associated Press.
- DEA monitored but did not seize fentanyl shipments in New Mexico from 2023 to 2025
- Strategy aimed at building larger cases against traffickers
- Agents and experts criticized the tactic as a gamble with public safety
- Albuquerque remains epicenter of fentanyl epidemic, despite nationwide overdose deaths falling 14% last year
⚖
▼Source Claims Check
High ConsensusAll 3 publishers report consistent facts across 4 key claims.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fentanyl Pills Allowed To Reach Streets | Broad Agreement | DEA permitted hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to hit the streets | |
| Tactic Used By Dea | Broad Agreement | Tactic aimed at building larger cases against traffickers | |
| Criticism Of Tactic | Broad Agreement | Agents and experts criticized the tactic as a gamble with public safety | |
| Albuquerque's Status In Fentanyl Epidemic | Broad Agreement | Albuquerque remains epicenter of fentanyl epidemic despite nationwide overdose deaths falling 14% l… |
Fentanyl Pills Allowed To Reach Streets
Broad AgreementDEA permitted hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to hit the streets
Tactic Used By Dea
Broad AgreementTactic aimed at building larger cases against traffickers
Criticism Of Tactic
Broad AgreementAgents and experts criticized the tactic as a gamble with public safety
Albuquerque's Status In Fentanyl Epidemic
Broad AgreementAlbuquerque remains epicenter of fentanyl epidemic despite nationwide overdose deaths falling 14% last year.
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
According to AP News, DEA agents repeatedly monitored these shipments as federal prosecutors sought to build bigger criminal cases against traffickers. However, the tactic was criticized by several veteran agents who spoke with AP News, stating that it potentially imperiled communities in and around Albuquerque and may have violated U.S. Justice Department rules intended to safeguard the public.
DEA Special Agent David Howell told AP News in a series of interviews in New Mexico, "We poisoned our community to make cases." He further stated, "Through our own willful blindness, we get to say, 'We don't really know what happened to the drugs.' But we 100% got people killed."
The DEA has long contended it would not be plausible to seize every shipment of every drug. However, the strategy of allowing staggering amounts of counterfeit painkillers to hit the streets shocked several veteran agents who spoke with AP News.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 3 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.