LOS ANGELES – A Santa Clarita man has been arraigned on an indictment alleging he distributed protonitazene – a novel synthetic opioid that is up to three times more powerful than fentanyl – which resulted in a victim’s fatal overdose this spring, the Justice Department announced today. Benjamin Anthony Collins...

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Texas man was sentenced to six and a half years in prison and three years supervised release for trafficking more than 21 kilograms of the drug known as Spice from Texas to Alaska. “Spice” is a generic term for synthetic cannabinoids, which are mind-altering chemicals that...

ALEXANDRIA, Va., – A Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison for leading a conspiracy involving the distribution of wholesale quantities of synthetic cannabinoids—commonly known as “spice” or “K2”—and laundering millions of dollars in the proceeds of the sale of that spice. According to court documents...

Baltimore, Md., – U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman has approved a consent decree that permanently enjoins Elizabeth J. Allen, a Baltimore-based physician assistant, from prescribing opioids and other controlled substances, resolving the United States’ civil allegations that Allen violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in illegally prescribing opioids. Under...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Los Angeles man pleaded guilty today to being the head of a conspiracy involving the distribution of wholesale quantities of synthetic cannabinoids—commonly known as “spice” or “K2”—and laundering millions of dollars in the proceeds of the sale of that spice. According to court documents, from 2017...

Washington, D.C. – Today, Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Washington Division issued a Public Safety Alert warning Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. residents of the alarming increase in the lethality and availability of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl in our area. This DEA Public Safety Alert...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute nearly $6 million of synthetic cannabinoid products, also known as K2. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration-St. Louis Division and IRS-Criminal Investigation. Shakeel Khan...