Anthony Chrysanthis
Anthony Chrysanthis, a 29-year veteran of the Drug Enforcement Administration, assumed the role of Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Los Angeles Field Division in January, 2026. As the Special Agent in Charge, Anthony is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of offices located in Southern California, Nevada, Hawaii, and the U.S. Territories of Guam and Saipan.
Anthony previously served as the Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Division from 2022 to 2025. In that capacity, Anthony oversaw several significant operations, including “Operation Mandarin Mecca” the largest operations in the L.A. Division’s history. The operation amassed a team of 500 multi-agency personnel, and targeted three suspected illegal marijuana grow sites in the scorching Southern California desert. Netting 78 arrests, the June 2025 operation covered 780 acres of land and encompassed over 2,000 greenhouses.
In April 2024, Anthony was selected as Acting Special Agent in Charge for the San Diego Field Division where he served for four months. The San Diego Division sits in one of the nation’s most strategically critical sections of the Southwest border.
From 2016 to 2022, Anthony served as an Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Division. Prior to that, from 2010 to 2016, Anthony served as an Inspector in the Office of Professional Responsibility for the Drug Enforcement Administration. While assigned to the Office of Professional Responsibility, Anthony rose to the level of Senior Inspector, responsible for overseeing all internal affair investigations for the western United States, Asia, and Middle-East. Between 1997 and 2010, Anthony worked the streets of Los Angeles as a DEA Special Agent and Group Supervisor.
Anthony has leveraged his extensive career in Los Angeles to help cultivate and build on partnerships with state, local, and other federal agencies. Anthony said he will prioritize very impactful investigations on the most significant Drug Trafficking Organizations. Chrysanthis sees the mission of DEA as keeping communities safe and healthy, while reducing drug-related violent crime.
As part of the DEA Los Angeles Field Division leadership team, Anthony has participated in numerous community events, including: Fentanyl Family Summits, Opioid Youth Summits, DEA Citizens Academies, and National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. He has optimized those platforms to encourage citizens to avoid the path of drugs and to work together to end drug addiction and help stem the violence associated with illegal drugs.
Anthony said that disrupting and dismantling trafficking networks remains a paramount priority, and a goal that can be attained through enforcement, awareness, and community partnerships.
The Los Angeles Field Division sits at the forefront of DEA’s mission—intercepting global drug networks, targeting chemical supply routes, and protecting one of the most complex urban environments in the nation. Anthony’s operational background, wide-ranging experience, and proven leadership make him exceptionally well prepared to take on this responsibility.