{"id":2618834,"date":"2026-06-25T05:45:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T09:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-mexico-governor-calls-for-investigation-of-dea-for-allowing-fentanyl-drug-trafficking-in-state\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T05:49:01","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T09:49:01","slug":"new-mexico-governor-calls-for-investigation-of-dea-for-allowing-fentanyl-drug-trafficking-in-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-mexico-governor-calls-for-investigation-of-dea-for-allowing-fentanyl-drug-trafficking-in-state\/","title":{"rendered":"New Mexico governor calls for investigation of DEA for allowing fentanyl drug-trafficking in state"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnew-mexico-governor-calls-for-investigation-of-dea-for-allowing-fentanyl-drug-trafficking-in-state%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2618834&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>New Mexico Governor Michelle lujan Grisham has called for a criminal investigation into the DEA&#8217;s handling of fentanyl shipments into the state. She alleges that the DEA knowingly allowed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to enter New Mexico, prioritizing larger criminal cases over seizing these hazardous drugs, which contributed to community harm and deaths. Grisham criticized the DEA&#8217;s tactics as reckless and perhaps illegal,requesting the state&#8217;s attorney general to examine their legality.The DEA denied these accusations, claiming misrepresentation of their actions. The <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >controversy emerged amid concerns<\/a> over the broader opioid crisis and the federal government&#8217;s approach to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/flashback-former-ag-barr-initiated-spying-program-on-americans-back-in-1992\/\" title=\"FLASHBACK: Former AG Barr Initiated Spying Program on Americans Back in 1992\">drug enforcement<\/a>.Additionally,DEA whistleblower David Howell and Senator Bernie Moreno highlighted potential casualties from these policies and criticized the Biden administration for its role in border policies that may have facilitated fentanyl trafficking. Grisham emphasized her intent to hold the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fla-sues-biden-admin-over-catch-and-release-border-policy\/\" title=\"Fla. sues Biden admin. over \u2018Catch and Release\u2019 border policy\">federal government accountable<\/a> for the consequences of its actions on her state&#8217;s residents.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">New Mexico Governor <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3499754\/governor-michelle-lujan-grisham-new-mexico-crime-rio-arriba-county\/\">Michelle Lujan Grisham<\/a> (D) is calling for a criminal investigation of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/drug-enforcement-administration\/page\/2\/\">Drug Enforcement Administration<\/a> for allowing <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/national-security\/4571140\/dea-fentanyl-more-unpredictable-lethal\/\">fentanyl<\/a> pills to reach New Mexico communities as the agency prioritized larger criminal cases and probes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Grisham issued the request on Wednesday after the <em>Associated Press<\/em> revealed the DEA\u2019s tactics through its investigation. New Mexico\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-sheriffs-tell-newsom-they-wont-enforce-covid-curfew\/\" title=\"California Sheriffs Tell Newsom They Won&#039;t Enforce COVID Curfew\">governor claimed<\/a> that the decision to purposely allow hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills from entering the state to be used by New Mexico residents contributed to harming many of the state\u2019s residents. The DEA allowed the shipments to continue, refusing to seize them despite knowing about them while pursuing a larger criminal bust against drug traffickers.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4622868\/us-mint-limited-edition-quarters-july-4-america-250\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>US Mint to produce limited-edition July 4 quarters for America 250<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4622438\/supreme-court-retirement-clock-ticking-byron-york\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>The Supreme Court retirement clock is ticking: Byron York<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4622357\/mamdani-new-york-democratic-establishment-primary-takeaways\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Mamdani\u2019s New York takeover rattles Democratic establishment: Four takeaways from Tuesday\u2019s primaries<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAgents and experts, however, said the tactic amounted to a gamble with public safety that potentially imperiled communities in and around Albuquerque and may have violated U.S. Justice Department rules intended to safeguard the public,\u201d the Associated Press reported.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DEA used these tactics during drug-trafficking investigations between 2023 and 2025, as the country was in the midst of a serious drug crisis, and fentanyl was responsible for the deaths of thousands of people throughout the country.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Grisham suggested the plan was negligent, dangerous, and potentially in violation of state law. She asked Raul Torrez, New Mexico\u2019s attorney general, to investigate and evaluate whether the DEA\u2019s actions were criminal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere are no words to describe how reckless and dangerous these decisions were,\u201d said Grisham in a statement. \u201cMake no mistake: the DEA knew people would die if these pills made it into New Mexico communities, and the agency let it happen anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A DEA spokeswoman, Amanda Wozniak, pushed back against Grisham\u2019s claims and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/fentanyl-dea-drugs-new-mexico-cb997b0097bba3ee9d5a98272ae65401\">told<\/a> the <em>Associated Press <\/em>that Grisham has misrepresented the details of the federal agency\u2019s actions and investigation. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPublic descriptions suggesting that DEA knowingly permitted fentanyl to reach communities are false and fundamentally mischaracterize the facts,\u201d Wozniak said in an email.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As part of its investigation, the <em>Associated Press <\/em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/fentanyl-dea-drugs-new-mexico-cb997b0097bba3ee9d5a98272ae65401\">spoke<\/a> to Alex Uballez, who was a U.S. attorney in New Mexico from 2022 to 2025. He said he believed that pursuing charges against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fentanyl-found-in-trap-door-under-childrens-play-area-inside-new-york-day-care-where-boy-1-died\/\" title=\"Fentanyl discovered beneath kids&#039; play area in NY daycare where 1-year-old died.\">larger drug trafficking organizations<\/a> was a better drug-trafficking defense strategy than targeting small drug transactions regularly. He also said this was because his office was confined by limited resources. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">David Howell is a DEA whistleblower who the <em>Associated Press<\/em> said filed a complaint to bring awareness to the DEA\u2019s tactics and unseized fentanyl in New Mexico. He spoke to congressional staffers in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/fentanyl-dea-drugs-new-mexico-cb997b0097bba3ee9d5a98272ae65401\">said<\/a> he would investigate the collateral damage from the DEA operation and determine how many lives were lost as a result. He blamed the Biden administration for much of the problem and called the process used by the DEA, as told to him by Howell, a \u201cscandal of the highest order.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHow many thousands of American lives were lost because the Biden DEA refused to act as deadly fentanyl poured over Biden\u2019s open border?\u201d Moreno <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/berniemoreno\/status\/2069061360030216456?s=46\">said<\/a> in a post on X. \u201cI intend to find out.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">A scandal of the highest order. How many thousands of American lives were lost because the Biden DEA refused to act as deadly fentanyl poured over Biden\u2019s open border?<\/p>\n<p>I intend to find out.<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/P7GwbrhgKy\">https:\/\/t.co\/P7GwbrhgKy<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Bernie Moreno (@berniemoreno) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/berniemoreno\/status\/2069061360030216456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 22, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, Grisham said she planned to hold the government accountable in her statement. She said the lives of people in her state were not collateral damage for the federal government to be used in drug investigations.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNew Mexican lives are not the federal government\u2019s cost of doing business,\u201d said Grisham. \u201cI plan to hold the federal government accountable for this disaster and will explore every possible avenue of action against the federal government to right these wrongs.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NM governor calls for DEA probe over fentanyl flow<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2677,"featured_media":2618835,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-o1bgclgj9-1782378234131-e1782378293810.jpg?1782363900&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[7953,36244,10250,38191,34818],"class_list":["post-2618834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-dea","tag-drug-trafficking","tag-fentanyl","tag-government-investigation","tag-new-mexico"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-o1bgclgj9-1782378234131-e1782378293810.jpg?1782363900&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2618834","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2677"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2618834"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2618834\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2618838,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2618834\/revisions\/2618838"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2618835"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2618834"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2618834"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2618834"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}