The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) warning issued a stark caution to Congress this week, highlighting the alarming ease with which individuals can acquire illicit pills, drawing a concerning parallel to the convenience of ordering food through smartphone apps.
During a session with the House Appropriations subcommittee, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram emphasized the ubiquitous nature of smartphones in households, noting that within mere clicks, individuals can have pills delivered, akin to popular food delivery services like Uber Eats or pizza deliveries.
DEA Warns of Easy Access to Illicit Pills
Milgram expressed grave concern over the loss of 22 American teenagers aged 14 to 18 every week due to illegal drug use, labeling it a national tragedy.
She highlighted a pressing issue: the DEA's year-long wait for work visas from Mexico to investigate drug cartels sending illicit pills to the U.S. brought by drug cartels, which are contributing to teen deaths in the country.
DEA agents, combating Mexican drug cartels' massive fentanyl shipments to the U.S., face delays of up to eight months in securing their work visas.
This delay, revealed during a House appropriations subcommittee hearing in Washington, D.C., raises questions about Mexico's commitment to curbing the flow of this synthetic drug, implicated in over 70,000 American overdose deaths last year.
U.S. Rep. Hal Rodgers of Kentucky, chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science, commented on the strained relationship, citing obstacles like visa delays and unresolved warrants by Mexico.
Rodgers said, "When the DEA encounters obstacles such as difficulties in obtaining visas in a timely manner to operate in Mexico and there are outstanding warrants the Mexican government fails to act upon."
U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania emphasized the urgency, linking the fentanyl distribution chain from China to Mexico, ultimately claiming lives in the U.S.
Cartwright elaborated, "This is where the rubber hits the road when we talk about the distribution of fentanyl into this country. It's coming from China, it's going to Mexico, it's coming here, and it's killing our kids."
Action Against Drug Cartels
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram informed subcommittee members on Tuesday that 13 agents and intelligence analysts assigned to monitor the two major transnational criminal groups responsible for exporting fentanyl to the U.S. are awaiting approval from Mexico to enter the country.
She emphasized the DEA's commitment to collaborating globally against this threat, echoing FBI Director Christopher Wray's call for increased cooperation.
Milgram highlighted the impact of delays, citing one visa pending for eight months, emphasizing the cost of prolonged waiting periods for national security.
Mexico holds significance in combating not just fentanyl but also other illicit substances like heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana.
The DEA's strategy involves building cases worldwide, targeting Asian suppliers of precursor chemicals, Mexican cartels operating fentanyl labs, and entities laundering drug profits.
Milgram underscored the prevalence of fentanyl in illicit pills, a factor contributing to thousands of American deaths annually. She reported significant DEA seizures last year, including 79 million fake pills and 12,000 pounds of powdered fentanyl.
Requesting increased funding from Congress, Milgram emphasized the need for more resources to bolster DEA efforts against drug trafficking into the U.S.
