DEA Archived Press Releases

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

Nearly 6 Tons Of RX Drugs Collected In DEA Take Back

PHOENIX - The DEA’s Phoenix Division has finished tallying the amount of drugs collected from those agencies who participated in the October 28th National Take Back event. Once again, Arizonans turned out in huge numbers and disposed of 11,668 pounds, nearly six tons, of prescription drugs. The total for the...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Expands Opioid Initiative To Pinal County

PHOENIX - DEA announced today the expansion of the its Heroin Enforcement Action (HEAT) initiative to Pinal County as part of a collaborative effort by the DEA Phoenix Field Division and the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office to address the opioid epidemic. Nearly 500 people in Arizona have lost their lives...
PRESS RELEASE

Drug Enforcement Administration Collects Record Number Of Unused Pills As Part Of Its 14th Prescription Drug Take Back Day

The public returns record number of potentially dangerous prescription drugs WASHINGTON - Americans nationwide did their part to reduce the opioid crisis by bringing the DEA and its more than 4,200 local and tribal law enforcement partners a record-setting 912,305 pounds-456 tons-of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA’s Biannual Take Back Of Unwanted Prescription Drugs October 28

DENVER - This Saturday, October 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and its local law enforcement, community and tribal partners will conduct its National Take Back (NTBI) giving the public an opportunity to rid their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Agents Seize 30,000 Fentanyl Pills

PHOENIX - On August 13, 2017, Drug Enforcement (DEA) Phoenix Field Division agents and Tempe Police Department detectives seized 30,000 fentanyl pills, during an enforcement operation against a Sinaloa Cartel-related drug trafficking organization. This is the largest seizure of fentanyl tablets in Arizona’s history. The pills were discovered after a...
PRESS RELEASE

Fake Doctor Arrested By DEA Sentenced To Over 38 Years In Prison

TUCSON, Ariz. - The DEA announced today the sentencing of Gustavo Nunez to 38.25 years in prison for performing illegal cosmetic surgeries on seven victims, three of whom were hospitalized, one with life-threatening injuries. In April 2017, Nunez pleaded guilty to 28 felony charges after performing illegal liposuction procedures. “Gustavo...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Shuts Down Two Valley Pharmacies And Arrests Pharmacist

PHOENIX, Ariz. - The Drug Enforcement (DEA) and Homeland Security (HSI) executed multiple search and arrest warrants today, closing two valley pharmacies and arresting a pharmacist as part of an ongoing OCDETF-designated investigation. On June 28, 2017, agents obtained an indictment from a federal grand jury charging pharmacist Vilawoe Aku...
PRESS RELEASE

Colorado Attorney General Announces Indictment Of Massive Illegal Marijuana Trafficking Conspiracy

DEA, Denver P.D. net 74 Defendants charged in the trafficking of illegal marijuana to out of state markets DENVER - Colorado Attorney General Cynthia H. Coffman was joined by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Denver Police Department, and other area law enforcement agency partners to announce the indictment of the largest...
PRESS RELEASE

Physician Surrenders License And Sentenced To Probation

PHOENIX, Ariz. - The DEA announced the sentencing of Dale Thomas Ratcliffe, a former Doctor of Osteopathy, to 5 years’ probation and the surrender of his medical license, after Ratcliffe was indicted on multiple federal charges earlier this year. Ratcliffe plead guilty to conspiracy to furnish false information after the...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Brings In Record Amount Of Unused Prescription Drugs On National Prescription Take Back Day

Participation in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Montana Shows Continued Community Involvement in Addressing the Abuse of Prescription Drugs DENVER - The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and more than 4,200 of its nationwide law enforcement and community partners collected more unused prescription drugs than at any of the 12 previous National...