United States Drug Enforcement Administration

PORTLAND, Ore.—In August and October 2021, coordinated law enforcement operations targeting two Portland-area transnational drug trafficking cells led to the arrests of the cells’ leaders and more than a dozen associates, and the seizure of approximately 200,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills suspected to contain fentanyl, two pounds of fentanyl powder, 40...

Seattle – A series of arrests over the last ten days has disrupted a multi-state methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution ring. The drugs were coming up from California and were being distributed in King, Pierce, Thurston, Lewis, Mason and Kitsap counties. The 18-month investigation revealed the drug trafficking organization was also...

HOUSTON – The Drug Enforcement Administration, along with its law enforcement partners, has removed close to 745,000 pounds of unneeded prescriptions from medicine cabinets across the country as part of DEA’s ongoing commitment to turn the tide against the U.S. opioid epidemic. Following last month’s 21st National Prescription Drug Take...

MCALLEN, TEXAS –Twenty seven defendants were arrested from the Rio Grande Valley region on state charges related to trafficking fake counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine in addition to various drug offenses. The arrests were announced by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Houston Division, Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux...

SPOKANE – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that David Barnes Nay, age 42, of Prosser, Washington, was sentenced on October 20, 2021, after having pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute eight controlled substances...

SEATTLE - The Drug Enforcement Administration will host its 21st National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event offers free and anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at more than 4,000 local drop-off locations nationwide. This Saturday, is another opportunity for...

HOUSTON – The Drug Enforcement Administration will host its 21st National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event offers free and anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at more than 4,000 local drop-off locations nationwide. According to a report published by...

HOUSTON - A federal jury convicted a Houston-area physician for unlawfully prescribing more than 1.3 million doses of opioids. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Parvez Qureshi, 56, of Houston, Texas, a medical doctor, conspired to and did unlawfully prescribe controlled substances from 2014 through February 2016...

Spokane – Helmut Ewe Borchert, age 62, of Spokane, Washington, was sentenced today after having pleaded guilty on July 15, 2021, to Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced...

Seattle – A 22-year-old Mount Vernon, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 100 months in prison and 4 years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas W. Brown. Defendant Jiovanni Nunez supplied counterfeit oxycodone pills tainted with fentanyl to...