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New Mexico's attorney general launches probe into DEA's fentanyl actions
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- New Mexico’s attorney general has launched a criminal investigation into whether DEA agents violated state law by allowing large quantities of fentanyl pills to be distributed in Albuquerque between 2023 and 2025.
- The inquiry follows reports that DEA agents monitored but did not seize fentanyl shipments to build larger criminal cases, a tactic criticized by whistleblower David Howell and others as risking public safety.
- The investigation seeks to determine if federal agents' enforcement strategies crossed legal boundaries amid the ongoing deadly fentanyl epidemic, with Attorney General Raúl Torrez demanding documents to assess potential broader misconduct.
- The DEA initially denied the allegations but later requested an independent Justice Department review and expressed willingness to cooperate with state and local officials to combat fentanyl.
- While some local leaders have condemned the DEA’s actions, some family members of overdose victims defend the agency, acknowledging law enforcement challenges but emphasizing the DEA’s role in removing dangerous drugs from communities.
