ALBUQUERQUE, NM – New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez officially opened a criminal investigation Friday to determine whether federal DEA agents violated state law by letting hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills flow onto Albuquerque streets.
The “Let It Ride” Strategy
The investigation follows a recent whistle-blower report revealing that Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents monitored, but intentionally did not seize, massive shipments of the synthetic opioid between 2023 and 2025. The tactic was reportedly used to build larger cases against major drug trafficking organizations.
Current and former federal agents, including whistleblower David Howell, stated that the strategy directly gambled with public safety and likely breached U.S. Justice Department safety protocols.
Fatal Consequences For Locals
The unseized drugs hit the streets during the deadliest drug epidemic in U.S. history, contradicting the DEA’s own “One Pill Can Kill” public awareness campaign.
“If those allegations are accurate, the consequences for New Mexicans were not abstract. They were fatal,” Attorney General Torrez wrote in a letter to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, who actively called for the inquiry. Torrez emphasized that federal agents “are not above the law” and demanded records to see if this reflects a broader pattern of reckless behavior.
The Response And Next Steps
The DEA initially denied the claims but has since requested the Justice Department’s independent watchdog to conduct an internal review.
Meanwhile, local reactions remain mixed:
- State Officials: Expressed deep outrage over the federal enforcement tactics.
- Advocacy Groups: Paul E. Martin, founder of United Against Fentanyl, defended the agency, stating that while mistakes happen, the DEA remains the frontline defense against toxic drugs.
The criminal investigation will now focus on whether federal immunity shields agents if their investigative tactics directly endangered the public.
