DEA Whistleblower Alleges Millions Fentanyl Pills Reached Streets

DEA Special Agent David Howell alleges the agency allowed millions of fentanyl pills to reach the streets under the investigative tactic of letting shipments “walk” so investigators could build larger cases, despite his warnings about the drug’s lethality. He says agents in Albuquerque seized 6,000 to 7,000 pills from a vehicle carrying a child in 2023 and were later chastised for stopping the drugs from reaching their destination. The allegations come amid a worsening fentanyl crisis in New Mexico and raise questions about whether the strategy exposed the public to preventable harm. The DEA says its investigative decisions were lawful and consistent with department guidance; the Justice Department has reviewed aspects of the complaint, with one review finding no specific danger to public health.