WASHINGTON – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will recognize National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day on Thursday, August 21, joining the hundreds of thousands of voices raising awareness to confront the deadliest drug crisis in U.S. history. The DEA Museum will extend its operating hours this coming Thursday from 6...

Greenbelt , Maryland – Today, Bengi Bernard Knox, 47, of White Plains, Maryland was sentenced by the Honorable Lydia K. Griggsby to nine years, followed by four years of supervised release. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher...

WASHINGTON – The Drug Enforcement Administration announces a major new initiative to strengthen collaboration between the United States and Mexico in the fight against cartels, whose trafficking networks are responsible for flooding American communities with deadly synthetic drugs. At the core of this effort is Project Portero, DEA’s flagship operation...

RICHMOND, Va. – An Iraqi national residing in Henrico was sentenced to prison for possession with the intent to distribute of fentanyl. According to court documents, on July 25, 2023, Yasir H. Al Sheikh Mohammed, 28, conducted hand-to-hand transactions from a hotel room in Glen Allen rented by his girlfriend...

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Court Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Mikiyas Kefyalew, 27, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a Bethesda, Maryland, minor in January 2022. Kelly O. Hayes...

ALBUQUERQUE – A federal jury convicted an Albuquerque man for his role in a multi-state fentanyl trafficking organization, following an operation that resulted in the largest single fentanyl pill seizure in DEA history. The verdict came after a six-day trial and approximately eight hours of deliberation. The conviction of Alex...

WASHINGTON –Charles Cunningham, 59, and Tyrone Ragland, 57, both of the District of Columbia, were each sentenced today to 15 years in prison for their roles in a drug conspiracy that trafficked large quantities of PCP, fentanyl, cocaine and cocaine base (crack) in the metropolitan area and for possessing illegal...

WASHINGTON – The men and women of DEA will join local law enforcement agencies and community groups across the country on Tuesday, August 5, 2025 to participate in National Night Out events. National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes neighborhood camaraderie by strengthening partnerships between police and...

WASHINGTON – Just days into his new role, DEA Administrator Terrance Cole met with a law enforcement delegation from Italy, signifying the agency’s renewed focus on working with foreign law enforcement to meet the evolving threats of the global drug crisis. On July 24, DEA Administrator Cole, DEA Deputy Chief...

Washington, DC – This summer, the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Washington Division is hosting three Operation Engage Teen Academies across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) for youth aged 13 to 18, as announced by Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Ibrar A. Mian. "Our young citizens deserve a...