The Justice Department's inspector general has opened a review into a controversial Drug Enforcement Administration tactic that allegedly allowed fentanyl shipments to reach communities while agents built larger cases against drug-trafficking organisations.
The strategy came under scrutiny following reports of fentanyl shipments in New Mexico between 2023 and 2025 that federal agents allegedly knew about but did not immediately seize.
Whistleblowers have claimed that agents allowed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to remain in circulation while monitoring trafficking networks.
According to the report, former DEA agent David Howell and other whistleblowers allege that agents failed to seize approximately 350,000 fentanyl pills identified during a 2024 wiretap and another 74,000 pills linked to a delivery at an Albuquerque mobile home park.
Court records reportedly show that some trafficking activity continued for months.
Related Tweet:
Justice Department watchdog to review DEA tactic that permitted deadly fentanyl to hit streets https://t.co/YYaQBXbhcz
— POLITICO (@politico) August 17, 2026
Also Read:
TIPP Staff
