Key facts
- New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez launched a criminal investigation into the DEA.
- The investigation questions if DEA agents broke state law by allowing fentanyl shipments.
- Reports indicate DEA agents monitored, but did not seize, fentanyl pills.
- Hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills were reportedly monitored between 2023 and 2025.
- The fentanyl shipments were allegedly allowed to reach Albuquerque streets.
- The probe examines DEA agents' actions for potential violations of New Mexico state law.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has initiated a criminal investigation into the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The investigation centers on allegations that DEA agents permitted fentanyl shipments to reach the streets of Albuquerque. This action stems from recent reports indicating that federal agents monitored, but did not seize, hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills over a period spanning from 2023 to 2025. Attorney General Torrez is scrutinizing whether these actions by DEA agents constitute a violation of New Mexico state law. The probe seeks to clarify the extent of the DEA's involvement in monitoring these shipments and to ascertain any legal culpability under state statutes. The investigation is focused on the specific conduct of federal agents and the potential consequences for the state if illegal drug shipments were allowed to proceed unchecked. This development highlights a significant tension between federal drug enforcement strategies and state-level concerns regarding the flow of illicit substances into communities.