Justice Dept. Inspector General launches probe into DEA's fentanyl-walk strategy

The Justice Department’s inspector general, Don Berthiaume, disclosed a new review targeting the DEA’s controversial “walk” approach, where agents allowed fentanyl shipments to reach the street to secure bigger prosecutions. The probe will assess agency policies and wiretap data that suggest the DEA knew of deliveries in advance but refrained from acting, potentially violating internal safeguards for the public. Agents, both current and former, argue the tactic endangers communities and may contravene rules established after the White House declared fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction.

The investigation comes after an AP report revealed repeated monitoring but no seizure of large fentanyl loads in New Mexico from 2023 through 2025. DEA Administrator Terry Cole had previously asked for a narrower inquiry after the AP story, citing a whistleblower complaint by Agent David Howell, who claims federal officials “poisoned” the community. State Attorney General Raúl Torrez is also pursuing the matter, threatening legal action to obtain records and accusing the DEA of harming New Mexico’s residents.