The Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso division is turning up the heat on the fentanyl crisis, rolling out a new community-focused initiative that officials say will hit both sides of the problem at once: choking off counterfeit pill supplies while helping families deal with prevention and loss.
The program leans on neighborhood education, family outreach, and continued investigative pressure on trafficking networks throughout the border region. DEA representatives say the end goal is simple, if not easy: fewer fake pills in circulation and more residents armed with information before a tragedy hits home.
Carlos Briano described the effort in an interview and said, “This initiative is crucial because fentanyl is a highly potent and dangerous drug that poses a significant risk to public health,” as reported by KFOX14. He urged residents to stay informed and keep an eye out for counterfeit pills and online offers that can hide deadly doses in plain sight.
What the Initiative Includes
According to a DEA press release, the El Paso division has recently expanded community events, including family summits and prevention tables with treatment and counseling partners, as part of broader outreach in New Mexico and West Texas. The agency says these gatherings are meant to connect grieving families with resources, share information about the risks of counterfeit pills, and introduce local prevention and treatment partners…