ODESSA, Texas — Recently, a Midland man was sentenced in a federal court to 20 years in prison for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy that resulted in the death of two West Texas men.
This just goes to show how law enforcement has been cracking down harder on drug trafficking cases over the years, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
If someone dies from fentanyl or any other kind of drug overdose, in the eyes of the DEA, it’s not an accident.
The drugs came from somewhere and someone.
“Well, it's important to know that the DEA, when we conduct our investigations, we try target the entire organization, so we don't just target the one person who's dealing. We want to get everybody who's involved in that transaction in that organization and bring them to justice when we want to stop their organization,” said Diana Apodaca, assistant special agent in charge for the DEA El Paso Division.
Apodaca said over the last couple of years the cartels have been lacing drugs they sell in the U.S. with fentanyl, which makes an already dangerous substance even more deadly. That especially goes for those who don’t know that they are laced.
“Well, it comes down to being more cost effective with the cartels," Apodaca said. "So, they are using less product to make more drugs and for them, unfortunately, they're just looking at the profit. They just want to make more money and they're trying to keep their business going. So, you know for them, that's all they care about.”
However, the DEA wants to make it clear that any cases like these will be investigated and that anyone who deals these drugs will be held accountable.
“If you do deal drugs and someone does die, we will work with our counterparts in law enforcement to indict and to see that the justice is served,” Apodaca said.