William Czopek is a Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency, currently serving as Public Information Officer stationed in Arizona.
Formally established in 1973, the Drug Enforcement Agency is a relative newcomer to the list of federal law enforcement organizations, however, its roots trace back to the 1914 Harrison Narcotics Act. The biggest narcotics seizure in 1917 was 5.5 lbs. of opium. A recent pair of seizures confiscated sufficient methamphetamines to give a dose to every man, woman, and child in both the U.S. and Mexico.
Because the drug trade is an international problem, the DEA does not just operate domestically but has agents working all across the world. Over 72,000 Americans died from overdoses in 2019 and this year is on track to be worse with a 150 – 200% jump. The trail of bodies is not limited to overdose victims, The Mexican government estimates nearly 62,000 persons have “vanished” since 2006.
