Drug Enforcement Administration

National

Girl Scout Cookie Good Samaritan Accused Of Federal Drug Crimes

5:37pm February 27, 2019

by Merrit Kennedy

Last week, a man bought about 120 boxes of cookies so that the children selling them could get out of the cold. The DEA says he is the same man named in a federal indictment.

U.S. Attorney William McSwain and colleagues announced a civil lawsuit Wednesday in Philadelphia against the nonprofit Safehouse. "We have a responsibility to step in," McSwain says, though he adds, "We're not bringing a criminal case right now."

U.S. Prosecutors Sue To Stop Nation's First Supervised Injection Site For Opioids

3:47pm February 06, 2019

by Bobby Allyn

The U.S. government is intervening to stop the creation of a medical facility in Philadelphia where people could inject heroin without risk of overdose. Canada and Europe already have such sites.

A small bag of straight fentanyl on display at the State Crime Lab at the Ohio Attorney General's headquarters of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation in 2015. Nebraska police say they seized 118 pounds of fentanyl in April.

Nebraska Police Seize Record Amount Of Fentanyl

4:15pm May 25, 2018

by James Doubek

Nebraska law enforcement recently seized 118 pounds of drugs, which they now say was entirely fentanyl. It's one of the biggest fentanyl seizures in the U.S. and enough to kill millions of people.

A Mexican soldier piles poppies for incineration near the town of Tlacotepec, in Guerrero state, Mexico. The army says it slashes and burns poppy when fields are too difficult to access by helicopter or when they want to protect fruits and vegetables grow

World News

On The Hunt For Poppies In Mexico — America's Biggest Heroin Supplier

5:02pm January 14, 2018

by James Fredrick

The Mexican army gave NPR a firsthand look at its efforts to eradicate the flowering crop that's made into heroin.

Defendants Efrain Antonio Campos Flores (center left) and Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas (center right), as depicted in federal court in New York on Thursday, were sentenced to 18 years in prison on drug conspiracy charges.

Nephews Of Venezuelan First Lady Sentenced In U.S. Drug Smuggling Case

6:38pm December 14, 2017

by Amy Held

Efrain Antonio Campo Flores and his cousin Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas received 18 years in prison.

An advocacy group says a move at the Drug Enforcement Agency to hire prosecutors is another signal of how the Justice Department is changing under Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

DEA Seeks Prosecutors To Fight Opioid Crisis; Critics Fear Return To War On Drugs

5:00am May 04, 2017

by Carrie Johnson

The Drug Enforcement Administration wants to hire prosecutors "to hold accountable the people who are facilitating addiction." Advocacy groups worry the move would exceed the DEA's legal authority.

A police officer holds a bag of heroin that was confiscated as evidence in Gloucester, Mass., in March. Massachusetts is one of 38 states that allow civil commitment for substance abuse.

A Twist On 'Involuntary Commitment': Some Heroin Users Request It

5:51pm November 15, 2016

by Karen Brown

Some Massachusetts opioid users are so desperate to quit the drug habit that they are asking judges to lock them up and require treatment. Critics question whether courts should play this role.

Kratom, seen in capsule form here, has been under review by the Drug Enforcement Administration for possible restriction.

Kratom Gets Reprieve From Drug Enforcement Administration

4:36pm October 12, 2016

by Lauren Silverman

The agency has decided to leave kratom off its list of highly restricted drugs for now. The DEA is asking for public comment and help from the Food and Drug Administration in evaluating kratom.

The federal government is moving to crack down on kratom, which some people use for chronic pain and to lessen cravings for opioids and alcohol.

Kratom Advocates Speak Out Against Proposed Government Ban

6:18pm September 12, 2016

by Lauren Silverman

The Drug Enforcement Administration is cracking down on a plant that it says is involved in a number of deaths. Advocates say kratom can help treat opioid addiction, which is a far bigger hazard.

Queue Listen Now

Grand Jury Indicts 2 Relatives Of Venezuela's President In Drug-Smuggling Case

4:02pm November 12, 2015

by Jim Zarroli

The two men were arrested in Haiti and accused of trying to transport cocaine into the U.S.