Key facts
- The DEA reportedly allowed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to be distributed in New Mexico.
- This tactic occurred between 2023 and 2025.
- The DEA's aim was to monitor shipments and build larger cases against traffickers.
- Agents and experts criticize the tactic for endangering public safety.
- Critics suggest the tactic may have violated Justice Department rules.
- Whistleblower David Howell claims the DEA gambled with public safety.
- Fentanyl's potency is a key concern regarding this tactic.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) permitted hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to reach New Mexico streets between 2023 and 2025, according to records and an Associated Press investigation. This strategy was employed to monitor shipments and build larger cases against drug traffickers. However, the tactic has drawn significant criticism from DEA agents and external experts who contend that it jeopardized public safety, given the extreme potency of fentanyl. Whistleblower David Howell specifically claims that the agency gambled with public safety by allowing these dangerous substances to circulate. Critics also suggest that this approach may have contravened Justice Department rules. The DEA's actions have raised concerns about the balance between effective prosecution and the immediate risks posed to communities by the proliferation of illicit drugs.