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

The U.S. Justice Department's internal watchdog announced a review on Monday of a controversial tactic used by federal law enforcement to allow fentanyl to reach the streets in order to build stronger drug trafficking cases. The review will scrutinize government policies and wiretap investigations where the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) may have been aware of fentanyl shipments before they occurred, but chose not to intervene to avoid jeopardizing larger prosecutions.

This investigative strategy, known as allowing drugs to "walk," has raised concerns about the potential risks to public safety and possible violations of Justice Department rules aimed at protecting communities from the synthetic opioid fentanyl, which the White House has labeled as a "weapon of mass destruction." The review comes shortly after an Associated Press (AP) investigation revealed that DEA agents had repeatedly monitored but failed to seize significant fentanyl shipments in New Mexico between 2023 and 2025.

The AP's findings were disclosed in a news release by Inspector General Don Berthiaume, marking one of his first official actions since taking office on Friday. DEA Administrator Terry Cole had previously requested a narrower inspector general inquiry following the AP's reporting, which included a review of the agency's handling of a whistleblower complaint filed by Agent David Howell.

Cole stated in an earlier statement that his request for an external inquiry should not be seen as a reflection on the professionalism or integrity of DEA personnel. Howell accused federal authorities of "poisoning our community to make cases" in New Mexico. An internal DEA report examined by the AP detailed an incident where the DEA monitored and declined to interdict a fentanyl delivery of 74,000 pills in a mobile home park in Albuquerque.