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SecurityQuiet 12d · day 14

DEA whistleblower says agency allowed millions of fentanyl pills to reach streets

Active DEA agent David Howell alleges the agency used controversial tactics that let deadly fentanyl flood communities.

newest coverage 12d agosummary written 13d ago13 pieces MastodonNewswiresGoogle NewsReddit

What to know

  • Active DEA agent David Howell alleges his agency allowed millions of fentanyl pills to reach streets by using a tactic of allowing drug traffickers to distribute product (called "walking") to build larger cases.
  • Howell claims he warned DEA managers for three years about the practice and was ignored; he says fentanyl's extreme lethality makes the tactic uniquely dangerous compared to other drugs.
  • In a 2023 Albuquerque case, DEA agents stopped a trafficker carrying a child and seized fentanyl, but the U.S. Attorney's Office criticized them and indicated it would have allowed the drugs to proceed.
  • New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has sued the federal government over the fentanyl-walk practice; Howell's complaint was first reported by AP and Albuquerque Journal in June 2025.

“We thought the U.S. Attorney's Office [for the District of New Mexico] would be pleased. Instead, they brought us into their office and chastised us. They were perfectly willing to allow that fentanyl to go to the house with the kid.”

DEA Special Agent David Howell, DEA whistleblower · CBS News ↗ · Oct 28

David Howell DEA Special AgentRaúl TorrezRaúl Torrez New Mexico state Attorney GeneralU.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Federal prosecutors

DEA whistleblower says agency allowed millions of fentanyl pills to reach streets
cbsnews.com

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 11 pieces in 3h at Oct 29, 7 AM; 13 pieces over 14 days (11 articles · 2 posts) Oct 29, 7 AM — 11 pieces · 10 articles · 1 post — Google News 9, Mastodon 1, Newswires 1Oct 29, 10 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Reddit 1Oct 29, 1 PM — quietOct 29, 4 PM — quietOct 29, 7 PM — quietOct 29, 10 PM — quietOct 30, 1 AM — quietOct 30, 4 AM — quietOct 30, 7 AM — quietOct 30, 10 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Oct 30, 1 PM — quietOct 30, 4 PM — quietOct 30, 7 PM — quietOct 30, 10 PM — quietOct 31, 1 AM — quietOct 31, 4 AM — quietOct 31, 7 AM — quietOct 31, 10 AM — quietOct 31, 1 PM — quietOct 31, 4 PM — quietOct 31, 7 PM — quietOct 31, 10 PM — quietNov 1, 1 AM — quietNov 1, 3 AM — quietNov 1, 6 AM — quietNov 1, 9 AM — quietNov 1, 12 PM — quietNov 1, 3 PM — quietNov 1, 6 PM — quietNov 1, 9 PM — quietNov 2, 12 AM — quietNov 2, 3 AM — quietNov 2, 6 AM — quietNov 2, 9 AM — quietNov 2, 12 PM — quietNov 2, 3 PM — quietNov 2, 6 PM — quietNov 2, 9 PM — quietNov 3, 12 AM — quietNov 3, 3 AM — quietNov 3, 6 AM — quietNov 3, 9 AM — quietNov 3, 12 PM — quietNov 3, 3 PM — quietNov 3, 6 PM — quietNov 3, 9 PM — quietNov 4, 12 AM — quietNov 4, 3 AM — quietNov 4, 6 AM — quietNov 4, 9 AM — quietNov 4, 12 PM — quietNov 4, 3 PM — quietNov 4, 6 PM — quietNov 4, 9 PM — quietNov 5, 12 AM — quietNov 5, 3 AM — quietNov 5, 6 AM — quietNov 5, 9 AM — quietNov 5, 12 PM — quietNov 5, 3 PM — quietNov 5, 6 PM — quietNov 5, 9 PM — quietNov 6, 12 AM — quietNov 6, 3 AM — quietNov 6, 6 AM — quietNov 6, 9 AM — quietNov 6, 12 PM — quietNov 6, 3 PM — quietNov 6, 6 PM — quietNov 6, 9 PM — quietNov 7, 12 AM — quietNov 7, 3 AM — quietNov 7, 6 AM — quietNov 7, 9 AM — quietNov 7, 12 PM — quietNov 7, 3 PM — quietNov 7, 6 PM — quietNov 7, 9 PM — quietNov 8, 12 AM — quietNov 8, 3 AM — quietNov 8, 6 AM — quietNov 8, 9 AM — quietNov 8, 12 PM — quietNov 8, 3 PM — quietNov 8, 6 PM — quietNov 8, 9 PM — quietNov 9, 12 AM — quietNov 9, 3 AM — quietNov 9, 6 AM — quietNov 9, 9 AM — quietNov 9, 12 PM — quietNov 9, 3 PM — quietNov 9, 6 PM — quietNov 9, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 3 AM — quietToday, 6 AM — quietToday, 9 AM — quietToday, 12 PM — quietToday, 3 PM — quietToday, 6 PM — quiet 1
Oct 30Oct 31Nov 1Nov 2Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6Nov 7Nov 8Nov 9now · 9:14 PM ET
  1. 1

    Howell goes public in first television interview with CBS News

    In his first television interview, active DEA agent David Howell tells CBS News the agency has allowed millions of fentanyl pills to reach streets through the "walk" tactic, where investigators allow drug traffickers to distribute product to build bigger cases. He claims the tactic has done more harm than good with fentanyl due to its extreme lethality.

    “For three years, I've told my DEA managers that we're allowing dangerous amounts of fentanyl to hit the street, and we're doing nothing to stop it, and they didn't listen to me.”
    — DEA Special Agent David Howell
    1. 7 outlets Whistleblower Claims DEA Left Fentanyl On Streets

      first by 102.7 KIIS-FM, 13d ago · also Yahoo, CBS News, ZeroHedge, The Bobby Bones Show, WGY, The Woody Show

      6 more headlines
  2. background

    New Mexico Attorney General sues federal government over fentanyl-walk practice — New Mexico state Attorney General Raúl Torrez has sued the federal government over the practice of allowing fentanyl to "walk" onto streets.

  3. background

    Howell files whistleblower complaint over DEA fentanyl practices — DEA Special Agent David Howell's whistleblower complaint alleging the agency allowed dangerous amounts of fentanyl to hit streets was first reported by The Associated Press and Albuquerque Journal.

  4. background

    DEA agents stop suspected trafficker in Albuquerque, face criticism — Howell was part of a team tracking a suspect in Albuquerque who stopped a white SUV containing a child. Agents seized fentanyl and a gun hidden beneath the child's seat. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico subsequently criticized the agents, indicating willingness to allow the fentanyl to reach its destination.