In the last week, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has continued its prioritization of investigations into and arrests of “the most violent, illegal drug traffickers and criminals,” according to Frank Tarentino, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the DEA. Tarentino sat down recently with both Fox News and Newsmax to discuss the agency’s recent work.
Working with federal partners such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), as well as local partners such as the New York State Police and New York Police Department, the DEA New York has seen tremendous success in their efforts to support the Trump Administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration. Tarentino relayed one example of a recent investigation into and the subsequent arrests of MS-13 members that resulted in the seizure of 150,000 fentanyl pills, defaced firearms, and $75,000 in illicit proceeds, accomplished in partnership with the State Police and NYPD.
The reopening of Rikers Island to ICE agents is another example of this whole-of-government approach to apply all available resources, capabilities and personnel to attacking this difficult problem that threatens American communities. Tarentino also noted that the expanded border-security efforts put forth by Canada have already brought a noticeable change in information sharing, positioning Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to be better able to receive and share intelligence “with federal partners like the DEA to go after these transnational criminal organizations impacting the U.S.”
“This is a unity of effort and clarity of purpose that I’ve never seen before,” said Tarentino. “This is reinvigorating and powerful to law enforcement to go out and do their job, keep the community safe, and protect the homeland.”