Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
DEA National TAKEBACK
The drug overdose epidemic in the United States is a clear and present public health, public safety, and national security threat. DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day reflects DEA’s commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting.
DEA is committed to making our communities safer and healthier, and we can do this by reducing overdoses and overdose deaths. While the community does its part to turn in unneeded medications and remove them from potential harm, we are doing our part to further reduce drug-related violence.
On this webpage are resources to help you dispose of unneeded medications in your home, seek treatment for a substance use disorder and learn more about the drug overdose epidemic in the United States.
DEA Resources
Law Matters hosted Desiree Voshefsky and Dan Barden on 11/26, who discussed Drup Rehab and CODAC. Below are resources.
CODAC provides services dealing in health, recovery, and wellness. Their crisis hotline can be reached at: (520) 622-6000, or contact them online by clicking the link:
La Frontera is your partner for a Safe, Strong, and Healthy community. Learn more by calling them at (520) 206-8600, or access their website at the following:
Arizona Complete Health is a local resource that aims to transform the Health of the Community, One Person at a Time. Contact at 866-796-0542, or online at:
Desert Palm Clinic Community Partners provides a caring environment to help guide those struggling with addiction. Contact at (520) 407-5353 or online at:
Remembering DEA Group Supervisor Michael G. Garbo
"DEA Group Supervisor Michael G. Garbo died as a result of injuries sustained during the shooting last year on Oct 4, 2021. Today, on the one-year anniversary of his death, DEA has named the Tucson office in his honor. Group Supervisor Garbo joined DEA in 2005 and served honorably for more than 16 years as a Special Agent and Group Supervisor combating criminal drug traffickers from the Nogales corridor to Kabul, Afghanistan."
NEWS RELEASE - DEA Announces Results of Enforcement Surge to Reduce Fentanyl Supply Across US
DEA Phoenix Seizes Over 8 million Fake Fentanyl Pills During Surge
PHOENIX – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration today announced the results of an enforcement operation that spanned from May to September and resulted in significant fentanyl seizures across the United States.
“On the frontline as we race to save lives, DEA Arizona continues to seize historic amounts of deadly fentanyl,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Cheri Oz. “It is terrifying that the drug cartels are mimicking candy to make fentanyl appear harmless. We need your help spreading the word about the dangers of fentanyl. It’s a matter of life and death.”
3 Men Arrested After Distributing Fake Pills and Methamphetamine from Phoenix Auto Dealership
Meth, Fake M30 Fentanyl Pills & 14 Firearms Seized
PHOENIX– On January 20th, 2021, the U.S Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested three subjects who were distributing methamphetamine and fake M30 pills suspected to contain fentanyl from BSG Auto Sales in Phoenix, Arizona. Investigators seized from the auto dealership approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine, 4,000 M30 pills suspected to contain fentanyl, 14 firearms and two vehicles. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has charged the following:
Marco Antonio Ortiz, age 31, with one count of Possession of Dangerous Drugs for Sale.
Hiram Velasquez-Amarillas, age 35, with one count of Possession of Dangerous Drugs for Sale and one count of Possession of Narcotic Drugs for Sale.
Cesar Avila-Aguilar, age 52, with one count of Possession of Dangerous Drugs for Sale, one count of Possession of Narcotic Drugs for Sale, and two counts of Misconduct Involving Weapons.
The three men were booked into the county jail and were arraigned on January 24, 2022, in Maricopa County Superior Court. The Phoenix Police Department assisted in the investigation.
A charge in a crime is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
DEA Holds National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
to Turn the Tide Against the U.S. Opioid Epidemic
87 Collection Sites in Arizona
PHOENIX– The Drug Enforcement Administration will host its 21st National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event offers free and anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at more than 4,000 local drop-off locations nationwide.
Last April, residents of Arizona turned in an all-time record of 16,839 pounds! This Saturday is another opportunity for residents to dispose of unwanted, unused and expired medication at one of the 87 collection sites throughout the State of Arizona.
According to a report published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a majority of people who misused a prescription medication obtained the medicine from a family member or friend. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that last year, more than 93,000 people died of drug overdoses in the United States, marking the largest number of drug-related deaths ever recorded in a year. Opioid-related deaths accounted for 75 percent of all overdose deaths in 2020.
For more than a decade, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans easily rid their homes of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or no longer needed—that too often become a gateway to addiction. Working in close partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 7,000 tons of medication from circulation since its inception. These efforts are directly in line with DEA’s priority to combat the rise of overdoses plaguing the United States.
“The United States is in the midst of an opioid epidemic—drug overdoses are up thirty percent over the last year alone and taking more than 250 lives every day,” stated DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The majority of opioid addictions in America start with prescription pills found in medicine cabinets at home. What’s worse, criminal drug networks are exploiting the opioid crisis by making and falsely marketing deadly, fake pills as legitimate prescriptions, which are now flooding U.S. communities. One thing is clear: prevention starts at home. I urge Americans to do their part to prevent prescription pill misuse: simply take your unneeded medications to a local collection site. It’s simple, free, anonymous, and it can save a life.”
“We can all do our part to help save lives by cleaning out our medicine cabinets this Saturday,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Cheri Oz. “The DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day not only provides for safe disposal of unwanted, unused or expired prescriptions, it also encourages discussions about the dangers of opioid use and abuse.”
DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is more important than ever before. Last month, DEA issued a Public Safety Alert and launched the One Pill Can Kill public awareness campaign to warn Americans of a surge in deadly, fake prescription pills driven by drug traffickers seeking to exploit the U.S. opioid epidemic and prescription pill misuse. Criminal drug networks are shipping chemicals from China to Mexico where they are converted to dangerous substances like fentanyl and methamphetamine and then pressed into pills. The end result—deadly, fake prescription pills—are what these criminal drug networks make and market to prey on Americans for profit. These fake, deadly pills are widely available and deadlier than ever. Fake pills are designed to appear nearly identical to legitimate prescriptions such as Oxycontin®, Percocet®, Vicodin®, Adderall®, Xanax® and other medicines. Criminal drug networks are selling these pills through social media, e-commerce, the dark web and existing distribution networks.
Along with the alert came a warning that the only safe medications are ones prescribed by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. Any pills that do not meet this standard are unsafe and potentially deadly. DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day reflects DEA’s commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting.
On Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illicit drugs will not be accepted. DEA will also continue to accept vaping devices and cartridges provided lithium batteries are removed.
A location finder and partner toolbox are available at www.DEATakeBack.com for easy reference to nearby collection sites. Beyond DEA’s Take Back Day, there are also opportunities to regularly and safely dispose of unneeded medications at more than 13,000 pharmacies, hospitals, police departments, and businesses working to help clean out medicine cabinets throughout the year.
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram Releases
Statement on Tucson Shooting
WASHINGTON – Yesterday (October 4th), two DEA Special Agents and a DEA Task Force Officer from the Tucson Police Department were involved in a shooting incident during a law enforcement operation in Tucson, Arizona. The DEA is deeply saddened to report that DEA Group Supervisor Michael G. Garbo died as a result of injuries sustained during the shooting. Group Supervisor Garbo joined DEA in 2005 and served honorably for more than 16 years as a Special Agent and Group Supervisor combatting criminal drug traffickers from the Nogales corridor to Kabul, Afghanistan. Group Supervisor Garbo’s operational expertise, mentorship, and leadership were legendary in the Tucson community. With unparalleled talent and courage, he carried out duties ranging from tactical instruction to serving as a member of the Phoenix Field Division Special Response Team. Across DEA, Group Supervisor Garbo was universally loved and respected for his leadership, and for his unrelenting passion to protect the safety of the American people. Above all else, he was a devoted and loving father and husband. DEA mourns the loss of our beloved colleague.
DEA is thankful that the other Special Agent and the Task Force Officer, who both suffered multiple gunshot wounds, are in stable condition. Please keep the families of all of those involved in yesterday’s tragic events in your thoughts and prayers.
DEA Issues Public Safety Alert on Sharp Increase in Fake Prescription Pills
Containing Fentanyl and Meth
Over 6 Million Counterfeit Pills Have Been Seized in Arizona
PHOENIX - Today, the Drug Enforcement Administration issued a Public Safety Alert warning Americans of the alarming increase in the lethality and availability of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. DEA’s Public Safety Alert, the first in six years, seeks to raise public awareness of a significant nationwide surge in counterfeit pills that are mass-produced by criminal drug networks in labs, deceptively marketed as legitimate prescription pills, and are killing unsuspecting Americans at an unprecedented rate.
Southern Arizona is a gateway for drugs to enter not only Arizona, but for the entire United States. Alarmingly, this year to date, the DEA Phoenix Field Division, along with our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners have seized over 6 million counterfeit pills in the State of Arizona. The vast majority of counterfeit pills brought into the United States are produced in Mexico, and China is supplying chemicals for the manufacturing of fentanyl in Mexico. Drug trafficking is also inextricably linked to violence. DEA Phoenix Field Division investigations have seen a 100% increase in firearm seizures from 2020 to 2021 and this year alone, DEA seized more than 2700 firearms nationwide in connection with drug trafficking investigations.
“The United States is facing an unprecedented crisis of overdose deaths fueled by illegally manufactured fentanyl and methamphetamine,” said Anne Milgram, Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration. “Counterfeit pills that contain these dangerous and extremely addictive drugs are more lethal and more accessible than ever before. In fact, DEA lab analyses reveal that two out of every five fake pills with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose. DEA is focusing resources on taking down the violent drug traffickers causing the greatest harm and posing the greatest threat to the safety and health of Americans. Today, we are alerting the public to this danger so that people have the information they need to protect themselves and their children.”
“This campaign is about saving lives,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Cheri Oz. She further stated, “Synthetic opioids like fentanyl hidden in counterfeit pills are destroying American families and entire communities. This year to date, Arizona seizures have potentially saved over two million lives and this call to action promotes education and awareness and the key to making positive healthy change in our communities.”
These counterfeit pills have been seized by DEA in every U.S. state in unprecedented quantities. DEA laboratory testing reveals a dramatic rise in the number of counterfeit pills containing at least two milligrams of fentanyl, which is considered a lethal dose. A deadly dose of fentanyl is small enough to fit on the tip of a pencil.
Counterfeit pills are illegally manufactured by criminal drug networks and are made to look like real prescription opioid medications such as oxycodone (Oxycontin®, Percocet®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), and alprazolam (Xanax®); or stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall®). Fake prescription pills are widely accessible and often sold on social media and e-commerce platforms – making them available to anyone with a smartphone, including minors.
The drug overdose crisis in the United States is a serious public safety threat with rates currently reaching the highest level in history. Drug traffickers are using fake pills to exploit the opioid crisis and prescription drug misuse in the United States, bringing overdose deaths and violence to American communities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 93,000 people died of a drug overdose in the United States last year. Fentanyl, the synthetic opioid most commonly found in counterfeit pills, is the primary driver of this alarming increase in overdose deaths. Drug poisonings involving methamphetamine, increasingly found to be pressed into counterfeit pills, also continue to rise as illegal pills containing methamphetamine become more widespread.
This alert does not apply to legitimate pharmaceutical medications prescribed by medical professionals and dispensed by licensed pharmacists. The legitimate prescription supply chain is not impacted. Anyone filling a prescription at a licensed pharmacy can be confident that the medications they receive are safe when taken as directed by a medical professional.
The issuance of today’s Public Safety Alert coincides with the launch of DEA’s One Pill Can Kill Public Awareness Campaign to educate the public of the dangers of counterfeit pills. DEA urges all Americans to be vigilant and aware of the dangers of counterfeit pills, and to take only medications prescribed by a medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. DEA warns that pills purchased outside of a licensed pharmacy are illegal, dangerous, and potentially lethal.
For more information, visit https://www.dea.gov/onepill
“The mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States and bring to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States, or any other competent jurisdiction, those organizations and principal members of organizations, involved in the growing, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances appearing in or destined for illicit traffic in the United States; and to recommend and support non-enforcement programs aimed at reducing the availability of illicit controlled substances on the domestic and international markets.”-Dea.gov This link will take you to the DEA website where you can find information on the current drug situation in America, what the DEA is doing to combat drug use, and how you can help keep drugs out of your community.
Follow this link to find free drug treatment centers in Tucson and the surrounding area.
CODAC is a leader in mental health support in Arizona. CODAC helps people dealing with mental illness, drug and alcohol addiction, depression, anxiety and so much more. This link will give you information for support groups, mental health resources, community resources, LGBTQIA+ resources and government resources all of which are designed to get anyone the help they need.
