United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SEATTLE, WA - Today, the Drug Enforcement Administration sent notification letters to the operators and property owners of 23 marijuana store fronts located in school zones. The letters informed the owner/operators that such enterprises operating as “dispensaries” within 1,000 feet of a school, playground or other prohibited area could result...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A leader and two soldiers in the Barrio (BA), a transnational border gang allied with the Juarez Cartel, were sentenced in El Paso, Texas, to life, 30 and 20 years in prison, respectively, announced DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart, and other federal officials. Hector Galindo, 38, aka...

ANCHORAGE, AK - On June 20, 2012, Brackston Moores, 32, of Anchorage, was sentenced to 160 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin. Chief United States District Judge Ralph R. Beistline imposed the sentence on Moores. According to information presented to the court, Moores conspired with Anchorage co-defendants Ryan...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - - The Drug Enforcement Administration DEA today commended House and Senate negotiators for agreeing on legislation to control 26 synthetic drugs under the Controlled Substances Act. These drugs include those commonly found in products marketed as “K2” and “Spice.” The addition of these chemicals to Schedule I...

BOISE, ID. - Miguel Beltran-Marquez, 35, of Caldwell, Idaho, was sentenced on June 14, 2012, to 188 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge also ordered Beltran-Marquez to serve five years of supervised release following his prison term and to pay a $1,000...

BETHESDA, MD - - Cigarette and alcohol use by eighth, 10th and 12th-graders are at their lowest point since the Monitoring the (MTF) survey began polling teenagers in 1975, according to this year’s survey results. However, this positive news is tempered by a slowing rate of decline in teen smoking...

BOISE, ID. -- - Francisco Cardona-Rodriguez, 38, of Rio Grande City, Texas, was sentenced in federal court December 12, 2011 to 37 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to manufacture/distribute 1,000 or more marijuana plants. Cardona-Rodriguez was also ordered to forfeit assets. He pled...

Seventeen San Antonio-based members of the Texas (TS) have been charged by federal grand jury indictment with conspiring to violate the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt (RICO) statute. The announcement was made today by United States Attorney Robert Pitman, DEA Special Agent in Charge Javier Pena, U.S. Marshal Robert Almonte, ATF Special...

The Drug Enforcement Administration has been working collaboratively with the Mexican government to fight money laundering for years. As part of that collaboration, DEA works with Mexican authorities to gather and use information about these criminal organizations to counter the threats they pose to both of our countries. The DEA...