Did US drug agents allow lethal fentanyl to hit New Mexico’s streets?
Summary
A former DEA agent accused the agency of knowingly allowing large shipments of deadly fentanyl pills to enter Albuquerque, New Mexico, to catch bigger drug traffickers. The DEA denies these claims but has asked the Justice Department's inspector general to investigate the whistleblower’s complaint. New Mexico's attorney general has also started a formal investigation into the matter.Key Facts
- The whistleblower, DEA agent David Howell, claims agents let hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills reach Albuquerque to build bigger cases.
- Howell said the DEA had clear intelligence about shipments, including exact pill amounts, but did not seize them.
- One kilogram of fentanyl can kill about 500,000 people according to DEA data.
- The DEA disputes the accusation, saying their actions were legal and coordinated with prosecutors to protect the public.
- The DEA requested a federal investigation into Howell’s claims.
- New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez opened a state investigation and emphasized the deadly impact of fentanyl in the state.
- Torrez said federal agents are protected by law but still must be held accountable if they broke rules.
- The story raises questions about whether the DEA focused too much on large Mexican trafficking groups and not enough on local drug distribution and overdose deaths.
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