Topic: Dea

Dennis Small of the Executive Intelligence Review provides data on drug trafficking, noting that only 8% of U.S.-bound cocaine originates from Venezuela. He argues that 90% of drugs enter through official ports of entry in commercial vehicles rather than illegal crossings. Small asserts that the drug trade is a trillion-dollar business managed by major financial cartels in London and New York.

The Biden administration is moving to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, placing it alongside drugs like ketamine and Tylenol with codeine. While not legalizing it federally for recreational use, the move would allow dispensaries to access banking services and credit card processing. Critics view the timing as a political move to gain support from young and Black voters.

Reports indicate that Hamas militants may have been under the influence of Captagon, a powerful amphetamine known as "the poor man's cocaine," during the October 7 attacks. Former DEA official Jim Crotty explains that the drug strips users of humanity and encourages extreme risk-taking and atrocities.

A "boots on the ground" report from St. Louis describes the transition of the local drug market from heroin to pure fentanyl. Surprisingly, reports of overdose deaths often cause sales to skyrocket as users seek the most potent batches. The segment also touches on the "Value for Value" model of the podcast and the tragic nature of addiction in American cities.

Senator John Kennedy grilled DEA Administrator Anne Milgram during a hearing, repeatedly asking if inviting the U.S. military into Mexico would stop the drug cartels. Milgram refused to give a direct answer, leading Kennedy to claim that Mexico would be "eating cat food out of a can" without U.S. trade. The hosts characterize the exchange as "performative grandstanding" and argue that neither party is addressing the root causes of the fentanyl crisis.

Former DEA agent Rob Zachariasiewicz, who led the investigation into Viktor Bout, criticized the prisoner exchange as a threat to national security. He argues that trading a high-level arms dealer for a civilian makes Americans worldwide targets for "hostage diplomacy." Zachariasiewicz describes Bout's unique ability to deliver Soviet-era military hardware to conflict zones, a life story that inspired the film "Lord of War."

The US is reportedly considering swapping convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, known as the "Merchant of Death," for Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan. Bout was arrested in a 2008 DEA sting operation in Thailand and is serving a 25-year sentence in the US. Some analysts question whether Russia has actually requested Bout or if the swap is a US-initiated proposal.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar is requesting that Mexican authorities allow DEA agents to resume work in the country following the removal of their immunity. The Mexican government had previously restricted foreign agents after concerns over intelligence abuses. The show concludes with credits for the "Troll Room" and end-of-show music mixes.

Haitian authorities arrested Christian Emmanuel Sanon, a Florida-based doctor, for allegedly orchestrating the assassination of President Jovenel Moise using a private security firm. It was later revealed that at least one of the suspects was a confidential informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The involvement of U.S.-linked individuals and "spooks" has led to widespread speculation about the true motives behind the plot.

Operation Trojan Shield, a global sting led by the FBI and DEA, resulted in hundreds of arrests after criminals were tricked into using "Anom," an encrypted messaging app secretly run by the FBI. The operation allowed law enforcement to monitor plans for drug smuggling and money laundering in real-time. This success has led to speculation that some ransomware-leasing websites may also be government-run honeypots.

The Department of Justice announces the results of "Project Python," a massive interagency operation targeting the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The operation involved over 350 field investigations and resulted in the identification of global logistical nodes controlled by the cartel. The DEA-led project is described as "unprecedented in scale and complexity," though it has received little media attention due to the pandemic.

The DEA has placed a $10 million bounty on Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho," the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). El Mencho is blamed for a significant portion of the narcotics entering the US and reportedly has entire Mexican police departments on his payroll.

Federal prosecutors in New York announce criminal charges against top executives of the Rochester Drug Cooperative (RDC) for illegally distributing controlled substances. Former CEO Laurence Doud is accused of conspiring to distribute oxycodone and fentanyl and defrauding the DEA. The hosts note the trend of using criminal statutes to target pharmaceutical leadership for their role in the opioid epidemic.

The FDA and CDC have issued warnings against the use of Kratom, citing potential salmonella contamination and its properties as an opioid. While advocates use the herb to treat chronic pain and opioid withdrawal, the DEA is considering reclassifying it as a Schedule I drug. The hosts discuss the ongoing debate over the regulation of natural supplements.

A *60 Minutes* and *Washington Post* investigation accuses drug distributors of fueling the opioid epidemic. Former DEA insider Joseph Renazzisi claims that a bill introduced by Congressman Tom Marino stripped the agency of its power to freeze suspicious shipments. The hosts deconstruct the report, noting that the DEA appeared ineffective even before the legislation was passed.

The hosts analyze the political fallout of the *60 Minutes* report, which led to Tom Marino withdrawing his name for the "Drug Czar" position. They suggest the story was a coordinated "hit job" by the CIA-linked media to embarrass the Trump administration. They highlight a "kicker" at the end of the report revealing that the DEA actually dropped its opposition to the bill they are now complaining about.

A report by the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General revealed that the DEA lied to Congress about a 2012 fatal shooting in Honduras. The agency falsely claimed that civilians killed in a drug raid were traffickers who fired first, despite video evidence to the contrary. This story, largely ignored by mainstream U.S. media, was highlighted by RT as an example of systemic misconduct.

NBC reported over $1 billion in advertising sales for the Rio Olympics. In other news, the USGS linked a spike in seismic activity in Oklahoma and Kansas to wastewater injection from oil drilling. Additionally, a Justice Department watchdog revealed that $86 million was wasted on a DEA aircraft for Afghanistan that remains non-functional in a Delaware hangar.

The DEA reported a massive 20-ton heroin bust in Afghanistan, the largest in history, valued at approximately $750 million. The hosts speculate that the publicizing of such a large haul may be a coded message within the drug industry or an attempt to manipulate market prices. The bust comes amid a significant rise in opioid-related deaths in the United States.

Producer Dennis Cruz contributes $200 and highlights his work on cannabis law at hotcoffee.org. This prompts a discussion on a new DEA ruling in the Federal Register establishing a separate drug code for "marijuana extract." The hosts criticize the DEA for continuing to classify non-psychoactive CBD as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, arguing it hinders medical access.