DEA Archived Press Releases

Press Releases before January 20, 2025
20 Results - Showing 1 to 10
PRESS RELEASE

Overdose Deaths Decline, Fentanyl Threat Looms

OMAHA, Neb. – Tis’ the season for holiday travel and family gatherings and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division is encouraging communities across the Midwest to make the most of this time together by continuing conversations on the consequences of drug experimentation and dangers of fentanyl. For the first...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Billboard in Omaha Looks to Re-Energize Conversations on Fentanyl Dangers

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division is taking the One Pill Can Kill message to new heights with a billboard placed along Interstate 80 in Omaha, emphasizing the deadly consequences of fake pills laced with fentanyl. Vehicles traveling east on Interstate 80 will see the 14x48 foot billboard along...
PRESS RELEASE

On National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day, DEA Encourages Communities to Continue Education Efforts

OMAHA, Neb. – The five state Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division, which includes Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota, is reminding Midwestern communities to continue education efforts that raise awareness to the life-threatening consequences of fentanyl experimentation and use while recognizing National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day...
PRESS RELEASE

Drug Enforcement Administration Recommends Including Conversations on Dangers of Drugs in Back-to-School Routines

OMAHA, Neb. – Students across Nebraska are returning to school this month and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division is reminding families to make time for conversations about the unintended consequences of drug experimentation before kids head out the door for a new year of learning. Fentanyl and methamphetamine...
PRESS RELEASE

Drug Enforcement Administration Brings Together Families Who Lost Loved Ones to Fentanyl

JOHNSTON, Iowa – The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division hosted its third annual Family Summit at Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa, June 27, bringing together families from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota representing 41 loved ones lost to a fentanyl poisoning. “This is a somber day,”...
PRESS RELEASE

Two Defendants Charged with Murder in Fatal Pacific Beach Fentanyl Overdose

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today that two individuals have been charged with murder in connection with the fentanyl overdose death of 31-year-old Connor Gerhart. Defendants Sheri Cavanaugh, 59, and her co-conspirator, Micah Seau, 31, are both charged with murder and conspiracy to commit a crime. The...
PRESS RELEASE

Overdoses Drop Nearly 40 Percent Since Formation of Omaha Task Force

OMAHA, NE – Overdose trends in Omaha have dropped nearly 40 percent since the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division Overdose Response Task Force (ODRTF) began making arrests in January 2023. For their efforts, the eight-person team was presented with the Midwest Region High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Overdose...
PRESS RELEASE

San Diego Drug Dealer Sentenced to Eight Years in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose

SAN DIEG O - Derek Neal Turfler of San Diego was sentenced in federal court today to 97 months in prison for his role in selling fentanyl pills to a 27-year-old woman who fatally overdosed on May 9, 2022. According to his plea agreement, Turfler arranged a meeting to deliver...
PRESS RELEASE

Year in Review: DEA Innovates to Fight Fentanyl

San Diego– In 2023, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration marked its 50th anniversary as the only federal agency dedicated to fighting deadly drugs and drug-related violence. This milestone celebrated a half century of dedication to fighting drug trafficking in the United States and around the world, which threatens the public...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Omaha Division Notes Record Fentanyl Seizures in 2023

OMAHA, Neb. – The five state Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division marked an 83 percent increase in the number of fentanyl pills seized in 2023 and removed an estimated 2.9 million lethal doses of fentanyl both in pill and powder form, from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota...