DEA Archived Press Releases

Press Releases before January 20, 2025
48 Results - Showing 41 to 48
PRESS RELEASE

Ringleader of Extensive Sinaloa Cartel Network Sentenced

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., – The ringleader behind an extensive drug trafficking ring was sentenced today to 33 years in prison for distributing large amounts of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine in Newport News and North Carolina. According to court documents, Ramiro Ramirez-Barreto, 44, from the Mexican State of Morelos, operated a...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Warning: Scammers Impersonating DEA Agents

WASHINGTON – The Drug Enforcement Administration is warning the public of a widespread fraud scheme in which telephone scammers impersonate DEA agents in an attempt to extort money or steal personal identifiable information. A new public service announcement aims to raise awareness that DEA will never phone demanding money or...
PRESS RELEASE

New COVID-19 Vaccine will bring opportunities for Fraud

BEAUMONT, Texas - With millions of people waiting for their turn to get the new COVID vaccine, it is expected that scammers will use that opportunity to prey on those willing to pay for it. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve seen fraudsters taking advantage of public programs and...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA warns of scammers impersonating DEA employees

WASHINGTON – The Drug Enforcement Administration urges its DEA-registered practitioners and members of the public to be cautious of telephone calls by scammers posing as DEA employees attempting to defraud and extort victims. The schemers call the victims, spoofing DEA phone numbers in order to appear legitimate, and threaten arrest...
PRESS RELEASE

New rewards offered for information leading to capture of two FARC leaders

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Department of State today announced new rewards for information that assists in identifying and bringing to justice two Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) leaders who allegedly participated in corrupt and violent narco-terrorism conspiracy with high-ranking Venezuelan officials. Through the...
PRESS RELEASE

Former member of Venezuelan National Assembly charged with narco-terrorism, drug trafficking and weapons offenses

NEW YORK – DEA Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea and United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey S. Berman announced today that Adel El Zabayar was charged in Manhattan federal court with participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy, a cocaine importation conspiracy, and related weapons offenses involving...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA warns of alarming increase of scam calls

El PASO, Texas – The Drug Enforcement Administration urges its DEA-registered practitioners and members of the public to be cautious of telephone calls from criminals posing as DEA or other law enforcement personnel threatening arrest and prosecution for supposed violations of federal drug laws or involvement in drug-trafficking activities. DEA...
PRESS RELEASE

Manhattan U.S. Attorney announces extradition of OFAC- sanctioned Afghan man for Narco-Terrorism offenses

NEW YORK - Christopher Tersigni, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration Special Operations Division and Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the extradition of Haji Abdul Satar Abdul Manaf, aka “Haji Abdul Sattar Barakzai,” for...