DEA’s Controversial “Walk” of Fentanyl in New Mexico

From 2023 through 2025 DEA agents in Albuquerque monitored shipments of counterfeit fentanyl pills but deliberately refrained from seizing them, allowing an estimated 1.8 million pills to reach New Mexico streets.

Associated Press

Fentanyl’s milligram-level lethality has driven the deadliest drug crisis. The DEA’s 2017 “Fentanyl Protocol” required seizure “as soon as practicable,” but a 2024 revision gave agents broader discretion to conduct “controlled deliveries” and to weigh investigative benefits against public-health risks.

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Key participants include DEA Special Agent David Howell (whistleblower), spokesperson Amanda Wozniak, former U.S. Attorney Alex Uballez, former Attorney General Pam Bondi, Empower Oversight president Tristan Leavitt, and the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) and Office of Special Counsel (OSC) as oversight bodies.

Associated Press

Investigators recorded a June 2023 delivery of 74,000 pills and separate shipments of 150,000 and 50,000 pills. One observed transaction took place at a mobile home park in Albuquerque. Howell’s filings cite at least 1.8 million unseized pills, while the May 2025 bust seized over 3 million. New Mexico overdose deaths rose 21 % as the national rate fell 14 %.

Associated Press

DEA spokesperson Amanda Wozniak said the investigative choices were “lawful, reasonable under the circumstances and consistent with Department guidance,” rejecting claims of intentional community exposure. Former U.S. Attorney Alex Uballez described the approach as a resource-driven effort to capture larger traffickers, noting “the bigger fish are worth catching.” Office of Professional Responsibility concluded the decisions were reasonable and posed no public-health danger, while Office of Special Counsel found a “substantial likelihood of wrongdoing” and referred the case to the Justice Department.

Associated Press

Howell’s complaint warned that the “walk” of fentanyl “poisoned our community,” prompting Tristan Leavitt to call for Senate and DOJ investigations. Agents compared the tactic to 2011 “Operation Fast and Furious” gun-walking scandal, arguing it contradicts the agency’s “One Pill Can Kill” campaign. They cite a 15-month-old toddler’s death after ingesting fentanyl residue as evidence of the policy’s danger.

Associated Press

Howell cites 1.8 million unseized pills, while Uballez says phone-call estimates are “not reliable.” No complete inventory exists, and the OPR safety finding remains contested by agents, and no data on how many overdoses directly linked to the unseized pills.

Associated Press

• “We poisoned our community to make cases,” — David Howell, DEA Special Agent

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• “We did nothing, but sit back and watch,” — David Howell, DEA Special Agent

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• “It’s outrageous to put that many lives at risk in hopes of making a big case,” — Tristan Leavitt, Empower Oversight

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• “The bigger fish are worth catching,” — Alex Uballez, former U.S. Attorney

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The Senate Judiciary Committee and DOJ Office of Inspector General have been urged to review the DEA’s discretion policy, potentially prompting protocol revisions, additional training, and disciplinary actions. Further congressional hearings are expected later this year.

Associated Press