United States Drug Enforcement Administration

(LOS ANGELES) - A former Los Angeles Police Department officer whose garage explosion revealed the makeshift lab where he used butane to extract hash oil containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or “THC,” from marijuana plants, was sentenced to five years in federal prison. Joseph Jay Spadafore, 64, of Menifee was sentenced this morning...

LOS ANGELES - More than 500 law enforcement personnel executed a major operation this morning, taking into custody 32 defendants who are charged in two federal racketeering indictments, one of which outlines how members of the Mexican Mafia were able to control drug smuggling, narcotics sales and the extortion of...

PHOENIX - DEA Special Agent in Charge Doug Coleman, along with the Tempe Police Department and Arizona Attorney General’s Office, announced the recent takedown of a local methamphetamine trafficking ring. Five people were indicted for their alleged involvement in a drug trafficking organization that operated in Tempe, Tolleson, Avondale, and...

LOS ANGELES - A former Los Angeles resident has been sentenced to 320 months in federal prison for participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that imported acetylfentanyl, a drug very similar to fentanyl, a powerful and highly addictive opioid. Acetylfentanyl, which is five times more potent that heroin, is not...

RENO, Nev. - A Reno man was sentenced today to 144 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute U-47700, a dangerous synthetic opioid with street names “China White” and “Pinky” that is more potent than morphine, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of...

PHOENIX - The DEA’s Phoenix Field Division has finished calculating the amount of drugs collected from those agencies who participated in the April 28th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Arizonans turned out in massive numbers and disposed of 12,025.43 pounds, over six tons, of prescription drugs. The total for...

LOS ANGELES - Americans nationwide did their part to drop off a record number of unused, unwanted or expired prescription medications during the DEA’s 15th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, at close to 6,000 sites across the country. Together with a record-setting amount of local, state and federal partners...

PHOENIX - The DEA announced the conclusion of its case against Juan Mark Sayegh, 44, of Phoenix, who earlier this week was sentenced in federal court to serve 48 months in prison and ordered to forfeit an estimated $1.7 million in cash and assets. Sayegh was the owner and operator...

PHOENIX - DEA announced the 15th National Prescription Drug Take-Back will take place April 28th from 10 am-2 pm local time. Sites will be set up throughout communities nationwide so local residents can anonymously return their unwanted, unneeded, or expired prescription drugs for safe disposal. (DEA cannot accept liquids, needles...

PHOENIX - The DEA is alerting all law enforcement, first responders and citizens to the confirmed overdose fatality attributed to the very potent and highly dangerous drug, carfentanil. A review of overdose investigation records provided to DEA’s Heroin Enforcement Action (HEAT) revealed the incident occurred in late 2017. Carfentanil is...