DistantNews
Support us
Justice Department watchdog to review DEA tactic that permitted deadly fentanyl to hit streets
🇺🇸 United States /Crime & Justice

Justice Department watchdog to review DEA tactic that permitted deadly fentanyl to hit streets

From PBS NewsHour · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • The U.S. Justice Department's internal watchdog will review a controversial DEA tactic that allowed fentanyl to reach streets to build drug trafficking cases.
  • The review will examine policies and investigations where the DEA may have known about fentanyl deliveries but stood down to avoid jeopardizing larger prosecutions.
  • This tactic, known as "letting drugs walk," has drawn criticism for potentially endangering public safety amid the ongoing opioid crisis.

The U.S. Justice Department's internal watchdog has announced a review into a contentious tactic employed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that permitted fentanyl to reach the streets. This strategy, often referred to as "letting drugs walk," was used to build larger cases against drug traffickers.

We welcome a third-party review of the tactics DEA and the New Mexico U.S. Attorney's Office used to needlessly put Americans at risk of exposure to fentanyl.

— Tristan LeavittTristan Leavitt, president of Empower Oversight, a whistleblower advocacy group, commented on the Justice Department's review.

The review will scrutinize government policies and wiretap investigations, focusing on instances where the DEA might have been aware of fentanyl deliveries but chose not to intervene to protect ongoing, larger prosecutions. Current and former agents have voiced concerns that this investigative approach gambles with public safety and may violate Justice Department rules designed to protect communities from synthetic opioids, which the White House has labeled a "weapon of mass destruction."

This examination follows an Associated Press investigation that revealed DEA agents repeatedly monitored, but did not seize, significant fentanyl shipments in New Mexico between 2023 and 2025. The review was disclosed by Justice Department Inspector General Don Berthiaume. The DEA has not yet commented on the announcement.

We welcome a third-party review of the tactics DEA and the New Mexico U.S. Attorney's Office used to needlessly put Americans at risk of exposure to fentanyl.

— Tristan LeavittTristan Leavitt, president of Empower Oversight, a whistleblower advocacy group, commented on the Justice Department's review.

DEA Administrator Terry Cole had previously requested a more limited inquiry into his agency's handling of a whistleblower complaint. However, the Inspector General's broader review will also assess whether similar drug shipment allowances occurred in other cities over the past two years. Whistleblower advocates welcome the review, expecting it to confirm that federal authorities "endangered the public through willful inaction."

federal authorities "poisoned our community to make cases"

— David HowellAgent David Howell, a whistleblower, shared his perspective on the DEA's tactics.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by PBS NewsHour. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog