DEA Whistleblower Alleges 'Fentanyl Walking' Contributed to New Mexico Overdose Surge Amid IG Probe and State Lawsuit

A veteran DEA special agent in New Mexico has publicly accused the agency of allowing hundreds of thousands to over a million fentanyl pills to reach streets in Albuquerque and surrounding areas between 2023 and 2025 as part of wiretap investigations targeting larger trafficking networks—a practice known as 'drug walking' or 'fentanyl walking.'

DEA Special Agent David Howell, with nearly 20 years of service, detailed in interviews and a 2023 whistleblower complaint how agents monitored but did not seize shipments, including one of approximately 74,000 pills at an Albuquerque mobile home park and others totaling 150,000 and 50,000 pills. Howell claims the tactic violated internal DOJ protocols prioritizing public safety for fentanyl due to its lethality and that it fueled local overdoses while New Mexico saw a 21% rise in deaths even as national rates declined 14%.

The allegations, first reported by the Associated Press and Albuquerque Journal in June 2026, prompted DEA Administrator Terrance Cole to request a Justice Department Inspector General review. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez launched an investigation, filed a lawsuit in October 2026 seeking federal records on the practice, and described it as potentially contributing to the state's crisis. A second whistleblower, former DEA contractor Kevin Small, has also alleged retaliation for supporting Howell.

Howell cited a specific 2023 stop where agents seized 6,000-7,000 pills and a gun from a vehicle with a child, only to face criticism from prosecutors for disrupting a larger case. He has faced alleged professional repercussions, including being sidelined from testimony and investigations. Federal officials have not commented on the ongoing IG probe, while defenders of the tactic argue it enables dismantling major organizations, as seen in a subsequent large seizure.

The claims have drawn scrutiny from local leaders, including Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, highlighting tensions between long-term investigative strategies and immediate public health risks in one of the hardest-hit states.