ARIZONA – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is intensifying its fight against the deadly threat of synthetic opioids with the launch of Fentanyl Free America, a comprehensive enforcement initiative and public awareness campaign aimed at reducing both the supply and demand for fentanyl. This effort underscores DEA's unwavering commitment to...

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Arizona residents turned in 6,257 pounds of unused medications during DEA’s 28th National Drug Take Back Day on April 26, 2025. Nationwide, 620,000 pounds of unused medications were turned in at nearly 4500 collection sites in effort to prevent drug misuse and abuse. Since its inception 16...

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jefferson Alejandro Lopez Alcaraz, 45, of Phoenix, was sentenced on February 13, 2025, by United States District Judge John T. Tuchi to 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release, to run consecutive to the 60-month sentence Lopez Alcaraz is currently serving in CR-21-00451-TUC-JCH...

PHOENIX, Ariz. - A multi-agency enforcement effort led by the U.S Drug Enforcement Administration, Phoenix Police Department, Arizona Attorney General's Office, and Arizona HIDTA, dubbed Operation Double Down, has wrapped up and proven successful in combating the drug trafficking epidemic of fentanyl and other illegal substances which have resulted in...

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Miguel Angel Gaytan-Ramirez, 34, an undocumented Mexican National living in Phoenix, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 151 months, followed by three years supervised release. Gaytan-Ramirez pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl on November 5...

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Cynthia Solano, 40, of Phoenix, was sentenced this week by United States District Judge G. Murray Snow to 87 months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release, for her involvement in a transnational firearm smuggling organization. On August 14, 2024, Solano pleaded guilty to Possession...

Phoenix, Ariz. - On November 29, 2023, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned an 11-count indictment against Jorge Damian Roman-Figueroa, Luis Eduardo Roman-Flores, Manuel Jose Bernal, Joel Salazar-Ballesteros, and Jesus Armando Gonzalez-Villela, citizens of Mexico, for Conspiracy to Transport Aliens; Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments; Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana...

PHOENIX, Ariz. – On Oct. 28, 2023, Arizona residents once again emptied their medicine cabinets to help dispose of old, unwanted, and expired medications. In total, DEA Arizona and its law enforcement partners collected 5,414 pounds of unneeded medications at 80 collection sites statewide. Nationwide, DEA and its law enforcement...

TUCSON, Ariz. – David Wayne Radde, 60, of Tucson, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 120 months in prison. Radde pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. On November 10, 2020, Pima County Sheriff’s...

PHOENIX – On Oct. 29, 2022, communities across the country demonstrated their continued support for DEA’s bi-annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day by safely disposing of more than 647,000 pounds of unneeded medications at nearly 5,000 collection sites across the country. Since its inception in 2010, DEA’s National Prescription...