New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has called for a criminal investigation into the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) following reports that federal agents allowed large quantities of fentanyl to continue circulating as part of long-term investigations targeting major drug trafficking organizations.
The governor asked the New Mexico Attorney General to determine whether the DEA's investigative tactics violated state law.
The case has intensified debate over the use of controlled delivery and other undercover investigative techniques employed by law enforcement agencies.
Such operations are sometimes used to gather intelligence and dismantle criminal organizations, but critics argue they can expose communities to unnecessary risks when dangerous narcotics remain in circulation for extended periods.
The synthetic opioid has become a leading contributor to overdose deaths, prompting federal, state, and local governments to expand enforcement efforts and public health initiatives aimed at curbing its spread.
The request for a criminal inquiry represents an unusual challenge by a state government to the investigative practices of a federal law enforcement agency.
It shifts the discussion beyond policy differences over drug enforcement strategies to questions about whether operational decisions may have crossed legal boundaries under state law.
Related Tweet:
BREAKING: New Mexico's governor calls for criminal probe after AP report that DEA let staggering number of fentanyl pills hit street. https://t.co/MzvtyCdUSj
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 25, 2026
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