‘We poisoned our community:’ DEA agents blow whistle on controversial fentanyl tactic (opens original article in a new tab)

The DEA allowed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to flood New Mexico streets between 2023 and 2025, drawing criticism for endangering public safety and violating internal guidelines.

• DEA allowed fentanyl shipments to go unseized in New Mexico from 2023-2025 to build criminal cases
• Agents and experts criticized the tactic as endangering public safety and potentially violating Justice Department rules
• Over 1.8 million fentanyl pills were permitted to reach the streets during investigations