[0:15]Good afternoon and welcome to DEA. My name is Robert Murphy, the acting administrator for the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. On behalf of the men and women of DEA, I'm privileged to stand here today
[0:26]alongside the Attorney General of the United States, whose leadership, support, and unwavering commitment to public safety has been instrumental in DEA carrying out its vital mission. Is
[0:37]an honor to introduce the Attorney General of the United States, Pam Bondi. >> Thank you. >> Thank you all for being here today. This
[0:50]is so important why we're here today. Um, acting administrator Murphy, thank you for everything you do. We've been to
[0:59]DEA labs together. You have been fighting this um, every day, and I can't thank you enough. It's been an incredible few weeks for the DEA nationwide. We're here today to announce
[1:11]the historic success through Operation Takeback America. We should remember why
[1:19]this work matters. We're honored today to be here with Chelsea Curtis. She is a brave sister. She lost two of her
[1:30]brothers to drug overdoses. One to heroin and her second brother she lost to cocaine that was laced with fentanyl.
[1:42]Chelsea works with us here at the Department of Justice and she's in the District of Virginia and she does amazing work and she is um
[1:53]paying it forward by um looking out for other victims and their families and fighting this EP epidemic throughout our country. Thank you, Chelsea, for being
[2:05]here with us. Over the Fourth of July weekend, DEA agents executed successful operations throughout this country. One
[2:14]in Colombia, South Carolina, where they seized 71 kilos of fentanyl and 20 kilos of methamphetamine.
[2:25]This is near, very near the University of South Carolina, where dealers we all know often target college kids. They put
[2:36]these drugs in pill forms to go after our kids. This includes a seizure
[2:48]in Fresno, California. Also, Fourth of July weekend. Um, acting director Murphy is going to get into details about these, but this is why this is so important, and this is something new
[2:58]that I hadn't seen. 24 pounds of carfentinyl disguised as real prescription pills.
[3:09]Carfentinol we all know is even stronger than fentanyl. They often call it the elephant tranquilizer. And it was carfentinyl in prescription
[3:19]pills to look like oxycodone. That should terrify every parent in this country. In many cases, illegal aliens are doing
[3:30]the work of cartels in our communities. In one recent example, just two weeks ago, the DEA arrested an illegal alien sitting in the front passenger seat of a
[3:40]trailer truck that contained over 700 pounds of methamphetamine. 700 pounds.
[3:50]Something else I hadn't seen, they are now putting methamphetamine in a pill form. First time we've seen that, a pill
[4:00]form. Now, a pill form of methamphetamine might not kill you instantly, but it can get you so addicted to meth that it can
[4:10]destroy your life instantly. DOJ attorneys will continue to prosecute these violent criminals, and they're all
[4:20]violent. If you are dealing in these drugs to Americans, to any citizen in this world, you're a violent criminal, and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of
[4:31]the law. Since January 20th, DEA has been removing this poison from our streets at a historic rate. They've seized over 44
[4:42]million fentanyl pills, over 45,500 pounds of fentanyl powder, over 64,000
[4:53]pounds of methamphetamine. 64,000, nearly totaling the same amount that was seized in all of 2024.
[5:03]2015 541,000 pounds of cocaine. And what they're
[5:14]doing, they just take a little fentanyl and lace it in that cocaine, which is how Chelsea lost her brother. We will not rest until these FTOs are
[5:25]eliminated, their members are prosecuted or deported, and the public is safe again. Thanks to President Trump, we're able to take the
[5:36]handcuffs off our law enforcement officers, our great men and women at DEA who are out there every single day risking their lives to protect us and to
[5:47]protect our families. One big beautiful bill enhances our law enforcement capabilities by also including money for
[5:55]technology that will help our agents catch these criminals. And they are getting so sophisticated and
[6:06]acting director Murphy is going to explain to you. I I I've never seen anything like this either in my entire career as a prosecutor. How sophisticated they are in smuggling
[6:17]these drugs into our country. Now, I'm going to let him explain that to you with a truckload of cucumbers that came into our country. In addition to one big beautiful bill,
[6:27]the Halt Fentanol Act that was passed through Congress is now headed to the White House. that will help us because it analoges. Previously, these drugs
[6:38]that were coming into our country, they would change the precursors as fast as they can so they wouldn't be illegal coming into our country. No longer with the halt fentanyl act. Also, now if a
[6:50]criminal is in possession of 100 grams or more of any fentanyl related substance, any fentanyl related substance, they will face 10 years in prison minimum.
[7:01]President Trump, the Department of Justice, and the great men and women at the DEA will continue to fight to make America safe again.
[7:12]We will fight from Tampa to the Twin Cities, from Nassau County to the Golden Coast. And I can't wait for you to hear these recent cases that were just made.
[7:23]and to the Angel families and our incredible Angel sister who lost two brothers, two brothers to drugs and everyone affected by fentanyl. Know that
[7:35]every day we will be out there fighting for you and your loved ones. The most important reminder we can give you here today to high school kids, to college
[7:46]kids, to parents, to talk to your kids, do not buy, take, accept any drug, any
[7:55]prescription drug from anyone off the street. Even if it's a friend, do not accept it. This is why this
[8:07]is a real aderall pill. This is a fake aderall pill. You can't tell the difference. These are laced with drugs that could kill you.
[8:18]Over here, the oxycodone, the fake ones and the real ones. This is what was seized in Fresno,
[8:28]California. In Fresno, right? >> A mouse that amounts that could kill so many of our high school and college kids. They think that buying this, they
[8:39]think that buying this on the street corner won't hurt them, but it will and it can kill you. And that's why they're targeting places close to our universities as well. Um, I'm going to
[8:50]let acting director Murphy now fill you in on all the details of these um very, very important arrests that were made just within the last couple weeks. Thank you all for your attention to this very
[9:01]important matter. >> Thank you, Attorney General Bondi. Men and women of the DEA lead the fight against the Mexican cartels. These
[9:12]cartels are responsible for the manufacturing, the smuggling, and the distribution, and then the subsequent collection of the money because that's that's what's driven driving this problem is is profit and getting that making sure that money makes it back
[9:23]into Mexico. How do we measure success? DEA works tirelessly every day to disrupt and dismantle these cartels. We are second
[9:34]to none at developing intelligence, interpreting it, and actioning it. Without the intelligence, these cases I'm going to go going on to talk about, we would never be able to make. You are
[9:43]not going to randomly stop uh the amount of vehicles that we haven't come across a port of entry. There's no way we have some could be million a day. There's no way we're going to be able to stop every vehicle, search it, and find this
[9:54]without the actionable intelligence. the technology that we're hopefully going to be getting uh based on the new bill help us get better at doing our job and preventing this stuff from making it to the street in the first place.
[10:05]But we recognize that's not enough by itself. We have a responsibility to ensure the public is aware that threats posed by the cartels that endanger both public safety and national security. And this
[10:17]is where all of you come in today. We are seeing a disturbing trend. cartels are now producing methamphetamine pills. We started seeing it in 2024 at a tremendous amount. Um
[10:29]we've already seized more methamphetamine pills this year than we did the entire year of 2024. These are made to look like popular drugs that the our our youngest men and
[10:40]women want, our our college age students. This is an effort by the cartel is a deliberate effort. Our young men and women are not seeking
[10:52]out methamphetamine pills. They are not seeking to get that. Unfortunately, they are being deceived into a life of potential addiction. We are fighting back, bringing this
[11:04]fight to the front lines. Fentanyl remains the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45. Fentanyl and methamphetamine together are a toxic evidence the cartels have no
[11:15]value of life. Over the fa past few weeks, as the attorney general mentioned, we've made historic seizures in multiple cities targeting these cartels who were recently designated by
[11:25]the president as foreign terrorist organizations. Attorney General spoke about Lexadine, South Carolina, uh right outside uh Columbia University, University of South
[11:37]Carol Carolina and Columbia 156 pounds of meth. There was also, I'm sorry, 156 pounds of fentanyl along with meth, weapons, cash, and an illegal alien that
[11:47]had previously been deported twice. Um, Fresno, California. Uh, the 24 pounds of carfentel, that's frightening. That's that's a large
[11:58]amount of any drug, let alone car fentanyl. Um, that cannot hit the streets. Luckily, we were able to stop it from getting the street. Gainesville, Georgia, Georgia, sub suburb right outside of Atlanta. the 706 pounds of
[12:09]methamphetamine the attorney general made mention of hidden in a shipment of cucumbers that crossed the Mexican border. Obviously, DEA intelligence led to that. We had not seen this unique. The the it was not a standard size kilo
[12:21]packages. They were cut in half and they were built into the boxes that contained the cucumbers. So, when you picked up a box, there was no way. So the average trooper or anybody stopping that truck, that 18-wheeler that had tons of
[12:32]cucumbers on it, opened up the back and looked, unless you knew you were looking for this, there's no way you would have found it. Uh, and again, an indiv, one of the individuals arrested there, an illegal alien deported twice, most
[12:43]recently after serving a federal conviction for drug trafficking, cocaine. Um, Minneapolis, Minnesota,
[12:52]889 pounds of methamphetamine. Again, one of the persons arrested in that case previously deported Kern County, California in Bakersfield.
[13:06]Along with our partners, we shut down a a meth conversion lab. This is where we see where meth comes across the border in a liquid form. Has to be converted back into something that's usable. It's useless in a liquid. It's converted back
[13:16]into crystallized meth methamphetamine. So, very dangerous for the neighborhoods when you live in those areas. Toxic chemicals. of some of the very very toxic. The house easily explodes with
[13:26]with the chemicals they're mixing. Um they seized 240 lbs of crystal meth that was finished and another 150 lbs of liquid meth that was in process.
[13:37]Galveston, Texas, along with our other federal partners, CBP and others, we were able to see 1700 pounds of methamphetamine worth over the $15 million hidden inside a vehicle that
[13:49]was crossing into the United States. Two days ago in Austin, Texas, along
[14:00]with law enforcement partners, we seize an additional 785 pounds of methamphetamine hidden amongst the pallet of blueberries. Let me say this again. This is a
[14:12]national security threat, not just a drug problem. We are taking the fight directly to the cartels, not just at home, but internationally across our borders and online through online
[14:21]platforms. We are not just seizing drugs. We are also disbanding the cartel's logistics and their finance networks. Just
[14:33]recently, Miami agents DEA agents Miami seized over 10 million in cryptocurrency directly linked to the Sinaloa cartel. In Omaha, we seized numerous
[14:43]handguns, including machine gun conversion devices, along with 40,000 fentanyl uh I'm sorry, 40,000 fentanyl pills in a raid that was run by a
[14:53]locally based uh polydrug uh linked to a uh Mexican cartel. Just recently in de in Chicago, multi-state takedown in Indiana,
[15:04]Kentucky, and Arizona resulted in a seizure of 59 illegal firearms possessed by serious violent felons along with 74 pounds of methamphetamine, 11 pounds of fentanyl,
[15:15]11 pounds of cocaine, cash, and 23 individuals who were arrested. Every seizure demonstrates the reach the cartels have throughout the United States. Make no mistake, the cartels are operating in every corner of this
[15:26]country, and so are we. At this point, we'll take questions. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Mr. Administrator, I would like to get your perspective on what exactly is
[15:38]driving this, but I also have an off topic question for the attorney general in response to questions comments that President Trump made a short time ago, just a few moments ago on the south lawn. He said that he would support you
[15:48]releasing additional credible evidence from the Epstein investigation. Is that something that you are open to doing? He said this just a few months ago. >> Let me take that first. Th this is this
[15:58]today is about fentanyl. This is about a wall of people right outside this room who have died from I appreciate your question, but this today is about fentanyl overdoses throughout our
[16:09]country and people who have lost loved ones to fentanyl. That's the message that we're here to send today. Nothing about Epstein. I'm not going to talk about Epstein. Go ahead. >> And so to your first question about
[16:20]what's driving this, uh, clearly it's driven by profit. It's it's all it is. Mexican cartels are driven by profit only. These are business decisions. Everything we talked about today, whether it's how they're smuggling
[16:31]across the bill and the the uh you know, innovation they use to get it across the border. Also, um the attempted quite frankly during the Fourth of July
[16:42]holiday, we think it was a concerted effort that they flood us because they thought there'd be less law enforcement working at that time and they sent as much as they could across the border and in numerous cities. Didn't work out well
[16:51]for them. Uh also the uh the decision to start making methamphetamine pills, business decision like any other uh company in America.
[17:01]They look at what what is wanted. Unfortunately, um taking a pill has a lot less stigma than shooting shooting a drug in your arm, snorting it, smoking
[17:12]it. But that makes them that much more dangerous because it's less threatening to our young people who again from a national security standpoint that that 18 to 45 year old men and women that's
[17:23]who makes up our US military and we're losing them at historic rates. That is not what we can allow to continue and that's what we're here to fight and continue to fight it. Yes, ma'am.
[17:32]>> On topic question you spoke a lot about seizure numbers but of all the different to
[17:42]How many individuals are going to be facing prosecution, not simply just being deported, perhaps arrested? >> Everybody arrested in this um will be facing this is serious amount of drugs.
[17:53]>> You have a number? >> Well, I I I don't off the top of my head because it was in m multiple cities, but I think most of the pretty much in every place we're talking about I I don't have exact number. >> Yeah. And and and to jump in on that
[18:05]same topic, minimum 10 years in prison for almost all of these defendants. some 20, some 40 depending on the amount of drugs, the type of drugs, the level of drugs. Go ahead. >> Topic question for you, Attorney
[18:16]General. Um, today on social media, President Trump made allegations about mortgage fraud against Senator Ship. I'm wondering if you can comment on that and whether or not that issue has been
[18:27]referred and looked at by the >> Yeah, I I just was told about those comments walking into this room. Um, and we don't comment on whether there is or is not a pending investigation, but
[18:37]thank you. Any anything else on topic today? >> Go ahead. >> Madam Attorney General, on this matter of fel is a priority clearly with the DEA, Department of Justice. Are you
[18:48]confident you're going to still be here to execute this because there's so many people calling for change at the Department of Justice. >> I'm going to be here for as long as the president wants me here, and I believe
[18:58]he's made that crystal clear. It's four years. Well, three and a half now, right? We've got six months in. And yeah, it feels like six years. Um, but I was with Director Patel this morning and we are working on fighting violent
[19:10]crime. We are working on all these issues that we deeply care about to make America safe again and get these drugs off our streets. You know, we've been
[19:20]working on this since my my really last two years. Fentanyl was coming on the market when I was state attorney general. And now um with these cartels, it's coming back. It's coming in more
[19:31]than ever. And at the border has stopped that. But we're going to catch them and we're going to prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. >> Yes, sir. >> Is there uh disruption at the leadership
[19:45]of DOJ and the FBI with your relationship with Dan Bonino that is affecting the operations of >> No, I'm not going to talk about personnel matters. No, I was with Director Patel all morning and we are
[19:55]committed to keeping America safe, making America safe, working with our incredible partners at DEA, FBI, ATF, US
[20:06]Marshalss to do everything we can to make America safe. And that's what we're focused on. And today, we're focused on protecting our kids. And I would ask all of you when you leave, go look at that
[20:17]wall outside, right outside this room of all the fentanyl deaths, all the faces of fentanol that you guys, you have done an amazing job putting up. Thank you all.
[20:28]>> Director, >> following up on that. >> Yes. >> Yes. Go ahead. >> I I wanted to follow up on that question. I think the American people have a lot of questions about your relationship with the deputy dire deputy
[20:39]FBI director. Do you believe that he should stay in his role? I'm not going to discuss personnel matters. I think we all are committed to working together now to make America safe again. And that's what we're doing.
[20:51]>> Only on topic, guys. Go ahead. >> First of all, I believe when you're in public forum, you can choose or not choose to answer any questions, but I don't believe it is your right to ask.
[21:02]Restrict those questions. That said, I will keep this on top. >> Thank you. How can you keep America safe again when the president's budget for 2026 cuts DEA by $212 million when the
[21:13]FBI FBI by half a billion? Support those cuts. You think they will harm your capacity? >> Well, it won't. That that's a great question. It won't harm our capacity to fight. I'll tell you that we can always
[21:24]do more with more, but we can do more with less. And that's what we're committed to doing. The big beautiful bill also adds a tremendous amount for
[21:34]us in combating especially the drug crisis. Billions of dollars I believe. >> I think it's million. >> Yeah. Let me see. 3.5. Yeah. $3.3
[21:45]billion dollar in the big beautiful bill to combat drug trafficking, support the prosecution of immigration matters and gang related crimes. So that that
[21:55]crosses all agencies as well. So that that bill will greatly help us as well. In addition to the budget, um we also
[22:04]have a $3.5 billion reimbursement fund for state and local agencies that are enforcing the Immigration Act, drug and
[22:14]human trafficking laws. And human trafficking is also something we're not talking about today, but it but is very very important to SCS. There are billions of additional dollars um in
[22:24]addition to the original budget. So that was a great question. Thank you. >> Thank you guys. That's all. >> The president said today you would release credible files related to Mr. Epson. Are you prepared to do that? And when would you
[22:36]>> our our memo today? Our memo speaks for itself and we'll get back to you on anything else. I I haven't seen all of his statements today. Thank you. >> How would you respond to the MAGA base that has expressed a lot of frustration
[22:47]about >> We're going to fight to keep America safe again and we're fighting together as a team. That's what that's what's so important right now. You know, we we we've got a war on drugs. We've got a
[22:59]war on human trafficking. We've got cartels in this country. And we are going to do we've got foreign adversaries around this world as well. And we're all going to work together as
[23:09]a team to fight to keep America safe again. And I can tell you that's what we're all committed to. Thank you. Thank you all for being here. And thank you for Please show these pictures today.
[23:20]Thank you. If anybody needs B-roll, there's some B-roll, especially of the cucumbers thing I talked about. Some great video of that if you need it. Uh,
[23:29]Shaz, we can get that to them. Um, so there's plenty of it. Yes. >> Is there anything new on Canada? The president has talked about with respect to tariffs, the concern from Canada.
[23:39]Have you seen anything recently that uh would be useful for the public to know about fentanyl from Canada? I can just say that I'm I myself have met with Canada, but I'm going to leave the rest
[23:51]of that to the president on on those. But we've met and had discussions at least on two different occasions. >> And we're going to do everything we can to keep every border safe, not just the border in Mexico. And and the reason we
[24:02]wanted you to look at the cucumbers, I I I've never seen anything like it. There's a video of it that they'll get you, but when you took the cucumbers out of the box, they just look like a normal um vegetable crate. And they even
[24:14]changed the packaging and the shape of the kilos to fit underneath the cardboard where it was virtually impossible to detect, but but they did
[24:24]detect it. So um and and some of this new these new funds will help us with technology to continue to um to take these drugs off our street. Thank you
[24:34]all and thanks for covering this. >> Can you get us numbered? >> Yeah, we can do that. Yeah, we can do And they can get you the time they're facing too, whether it's 10, 20, or 40
[24:44]years depending on the pills. Thank you. >> Thank you guys. Appreciate it.