Former DEA official backs military intervention to address fentanyl crisis

A former Drug Enforcement Agency official has backed use of the U.S. military to combat the mounting crisis of fentanyl within the country.

"The president should immediately declare a national security and public health emergency," former Special Operations Director Derek Maltz Sr. said during a Congressional hearing this week. "Let's make that clear because we have chemical substances all over our streets. These are not overdoses. In my view, fentanyl is a chemical weapon."

"The narco terrorists in Mexico are destroying our country," he continued. "They need to be held accountable, even if it means using our U.S. military."

Maltz told the "Just the News, No Noise" television show on Wednesday that some members of Congress supported military action against organizations pushing fentanyl.

"I know Michael Waltz and Dan Crenshaw are now calling for the use of the military," he stated. "This is not the typical opioid addiction, which is a legitimate issue. And there's so many people that need help. But this is something different. We've never experienced it in the history of the country."

Maltz further advocated a tightening of lawful immigration to limit trafficking operations.

"The kids now in America are on the visas picking up millions of dollars from the cartel operators," he stated. "Let's start looking at shutting down visas. But I don't want to be too optimistic."

Fentanyl is a highly potent narcotic entering the U.S. in ever-increasing volume. Border officials seized a staggering 9,400 pounds of the substance in the last three months of 2022 alone. In all of fiscal year 2022, authorities seized 14,700 pounds of fentanyl.