A third whistleblower has come forward with disturbing new details about a Biden-era DEA operation that allowed massive shipments of fentanyl to travel through the United States while federal agents were instructed not to seize the drugs or arrest the traffickers. Critics say the program likely contributed to numerous overdose deaths across the country.
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From the Daily Signal:
“Agents believe the courier made a minimum of at least five large deliveries over the following months, each time bringing 50,000-100,000 fentanyl pills and 20-40 pounds of methamphetamine per trip,” the complaint says. “The DEA did not arrest the courier until June 2023; at that time, agents found him with 19 kilograms of methamphetamine and 7 kilograms of fentanyl.”
The new complaint also notes that during a training session, one DEA agent dismissed concerns about the operation, saying, “We walk fentanyl,” but adding that federal prosecutors were aware of it.
In a March 28, 2025, conversation detailed in the complaint, Armijo screamed, “This is a one way conversation and this stays within my office.” The complaint alleges Armijo threatened to have the whistleblower moved to a different office and said, “I will ice you like Dave [Howell] where you will not work another case again.”
According to the DEA, as little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal depending on a person’s body size and tolerance, and a single kilogram has the potential to kill 500,000 people. The November 2022 shipment detailed in the newest complaint involved enough fentanyl to represent a catastrophic public health risk, yet agents were directed to simply monitor its movement rather than intervene.
The Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General has now interviewed three separate whistleblowers about the program: former DEA Special Agent David Howell, financial investigator Kevin Small, and this most recent agent, whose name remains redacted. Howell was the first to expose the operation, alleging that the DEA allowed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills into New Mexico so prosecutors could build bigger cases against traffickers further up the supply chain. Former U.S. Attorney Alex Uballez, who oversaw the program, has defended it publicly, telling The Associated Press it saved lives and helped gather intelligence on trafficking networks.
All three whistleblowers, represented by the advocacy group Empower Oversight, have alleged retaliation from DEA officials, particularly Jeffrey Armijo, the assistant special agent in charge of the Albuquerque office. The situation has drawn comparisons to Operation Fast and Furious, an Obama-era program in which the ATF allowed gun shipments into Mexico, two of which were later found at the scene where a U.S. Border Patrol agent was killed.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has demanded access to DEA records to investigate the state-level impact of the operation, but the Justice Department has resisted, citing its authority over internal government information and noting it is not a party to any related case. A DOJ spokesperson previously stated the conduct occurred under the Biden administration’s border policies and that the current administration has since closed the border and is aggressively pursuing traffickers.
Scripture makes clear that those entrusted with authority bear responsibility for protecting the vulnerable and pursuing justice, not shielding wrongdoing for political convenience. Romans 13 describes government as an instrument for punishing evil and rewarding good, a purpose betrayed when officials knowingly allow deadly drugs to flow into communities. Every life lost to fentanyl represents someone made in God’s image, and the alleged retaliation against whistleblowers who tried to do right only compounds the injustice. Christians should pray for full transparency, protection for those brave enough to speak the truth, and swift justice for families devastated by this crisis.
How are you praying for truth, justice, and protection for whistleblowers in this ongoing investigation? Share your prayers and scripture in the comments below.
(Excerpt from the Daily Signal. Photo Credit: DEANewOrleans on X https://x.com/DEANEWORLEANS/status/1971619590376431951)
