REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM >>LORENE: HELLO, I AM LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

OUR GUEST TODAY IS MICHAEL S. VIGIL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>MICHAEL: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, LORENE, IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

>>LORENE: WELL YOU HAVE LED SUCH AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE AND YOU HAVE HAD SUCH A LONG CAREER, TELL ME ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND A LITTLE BIT BUT YOU ARE THE FORMER DEA CHIEF OF WHAT?

>>MICHAEL: INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS.

>>LORENE: OH MY GOSH AND A 31-YEAR VETERAN WITH THE DEA.

YOU HAVE RECEIVED SO MANY AWARDS WITH ONE THAT IS KIND OF DAZZLING, THE TOP COP AWARD WHICH IS THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARD IN LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT IS GIVEN OUT BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POLICE ORGANIZATIONS.

THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF CANDIDATES, AND THEY ONLY GIVE TEN A YEAR AND SO, CONGRATULATIONS.

>>MICHAEL: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>LORENE: TELL A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND WHERE YOU ARE FROM.

>>MICHAEL: I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN ESPANOLA, NEW MEXICO.

I ATTENDED NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY, AND I JOINED THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION AT A VERY EARLY AGE OF 22 AND I WAS IMMEDIATELY PUT INTO AN UNDERCOVER ROLE TO PENETRATE A LOT OF THE MAJOR DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES AND THEN ALSO IN MEXICO AND SOUTH AMERICA.

I SAT VERY CLOSE TO PABLO ESCOBAR AT SOCCER GAMES MAYBE ABOUT FOUR FEET AND THEN IN MEXICO, PURSUED A LOT OF THE MAJOR DRUG LORDS THAT OPERATED IN THAT COUNTRY AT THE TIME.

>>LORENE: SO, YOU WENT TO STATE, NEW MEXICO STATE, AND BUT WHAT DREW YOU TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHAT DREW YOU TO THE DEA ULTIMATELY?

>>MICHAEL: AS A SMALL CHILD, I USED TO WATCH OLD MOVIES LIKE DRAGNET , THE UNTOUCHABLES WITH ROBERT STACK, AND THAT REALLY PIQUED MY INTEREST IN TERMS OF PURSUING, YOU KNOW, A CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND I NEVER STRAYED OFF THAT PATH.

I WAS VERY FOCUSED AND NEW MEXICO STATE AT THAT TIME HAD THE ONLY FOUR-YEAR DEGREE ALONG WITH MAYBE A HANDFUL OF OTHER UNIVERSITIES, BUT I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND SCHOOL THERE AND I OWE A LOT OF CREDIT TO THAT UNIVERSITY, YOU KNOW, FOR MY ACCOLADES AND EVERYTHING THAT I RECEIVED IN MY CAREER WITH THE DEA.

>>LORENE: WELL, YOU HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF AWARDS, BUT YOU HAVE ALSO GOTTEN SOME VERY INTERESTING THINGS.

TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO AFGHANISTAN AND THE CITY OF SHANGHAI AND SOME OF THE GIFTS, SOME OF THE AWARDS THAT ARE MORE THAN JUST A PLAQUE ON THE WALL.

WHAT OTHER HONORS AND AWARDS HAVE YOU BEEN GIVEN?

>>MICHAEL: THANK YOU, I WAS VERY FORTUNATE IN THAT THE COUNTRY OF CHINA ACTUALLY GAVE ME THE PROVERBIAL KEY TO THE CITY OF SHANGHAI.

THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY MADE ME AN HONORARY GENERAL, I AM THE ONLY ONE THEY HAVE EVER GIVEN THAT HONOR TO.

AND THEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, HIP�LITO MEJ�A, GAVE ME AN ADMIRAL'S SWORD.

THE COUNTRY OF COLUMBIA GAVE ME AN OFFICER'S SWORD.

SO I HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF AWARDS BUT I THINK THE ONE THAT I REALLY COVET THE MOST IS A "NARCOCORRIDO" OR A BALLAD SUNG BY ANGEL CUERVO AND IT IS A BEAUTIFUL SONG AND I HATE TO SAY THIS BUT, YOU KNOW, HE JUST RECENTLY PASSED AWAY IN MEXICO CITY, SO I WAS VERY DISHEARTENED TO HEAR ABOUT THAT BECAUSE HE WAS A GREAT COMPOSER AND A GREAT SINGER.

>>LORENE: WELL, TELL US HIS NAME AGAIN, SO NARCOCORRIDO ARE SONGS THAT WERE USUALLY GLORIFYING THE BAD GUYS, THE NARCOTICS KINGPINS AND EVERYTHING.

BUT YOU, HE WROTE A SONG AND RECORDED IT FOR YOU, SO TELL ME, LET'S HONOR HIM FOR A MINUTE.

>>MICHAEL: YES, HE IS A REALLY GREAT SINGER, VERY FAMOUS SINGER WORLD-WIDE.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN MADRID, SPAIN, HE WENT TO SING AND PERFORM AT BELLAS ARTES, YOU KNOW, A VERY HISTORICAL THEATER AND HE IS THE ONLY SINGER TO HAVE EVER RECEIVED A FOUR-MINUTE STANDING OVATION.

SO HE HAS A LOT OF CREDIT, HE IS VERY RENOWNED IN MEXICO, AND HE WAS ABOUT MY AGE WHEN HE PASSED AWAY HERE RECENTLY OF CANCER.

SO I REALLY WANT TO RECOGNIZE HIM AS A VERY DECENT PERSON, A PERSON THAT DID A LOT FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY IN MEXICO.

>>LORENE: WELL HE ALSO REALIZED THAT YOU HAVE HAD AN EPIC CAREER AND A LIFETIME OF REALLY INTRIGUING THINGS.

I WANT TO GO INTO THESE A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE AMONG OTHER THINGS, YOU ARE AN AUTHOR AND THIS IS YOUR MEMOIR CALLED DEAL BUT YOU HAVE GOT THE WORD DEA-L, DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND THIS IS YOUR MEMOIR, TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT IT.

>>MICHAEL: IT IS MY MEMOIR.

I BASICALLY TRACED MY BACKGROUND TO, YOU KNOW, MY BEING BORN AND RAISED IN ESPANOLA.

IT TRACKS MY EDUCATION AT NEW MEXICO STATE AND THEN IT TALKS ABOUT MY CAREER AS I MOVED FROM POST OF DUTY TO POST OF DUTY WITHIN THE AGENCY.

AND IT IS A VERY FASCINATING LIFE, I WOULD NOT HAVE TRADED IT FOR THE WORLD.

VERY DANGEROUS, BUT I THRIVED IN THAT DANGER AND THE MORE DANGEROUS THE SITUATIONS BECAME, LORENE, THE MORE DEADLY CALM I BECAME.

>>LORENE: WOW.

JUST LET ME SHOW A COUPLE OF THE OTHER BOOKS.

SO THIS IS THE RISE OF THE SICARI.<br/> WHAT DOES SICARIO MEAN?

>>MICHAEL: SICARIO MEANS HIT MAN.

>>LORENE: WE DON'T WANT THEM RISING AROUND HERE.

ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL BOOK, THE CLAW OF THE DRAGON .

THIS IS A KIND OF "NARCO" FICTION, BUT IF ANYONE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT THIS WORLD IS LIKE THEY SHOULD READ YOUR BOOKS.

SHOW US YOUR LATEST.

>>MICHAEL: THE LATEST IS DRUG CAPO , THIS IS MY EIGHTH BOOK, AND YOU ARE RIGHT, MOST OF THE GENRE THAT I FOCUS IN ON IS TERRORISM AND THEN ALSO DRUG TRAFFICKING.

A LOT OF THE AUTHORS THAT I KNOW DO A LOT OF RESEARCH, THEY DO OUTLINES.

I DON'T DO THAT BECAUSE I HAVE A TON OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCES LIKE THIS, TYPE THE BOOKS ON MY COMPUTER AND I DEVELOP A STORYLINE AS I GO ALONG.

>>LORENE: NOW YOU WRITE ABOUT MANY CARTELS IN YOUR BOOKS BUT ARE THEY REAL, IS THERE A LAND OF ENCHANTMENT CARTEL, IS THERE A "NARCO" QUEEN CARTEL, IS THERE... >>MICHAEL: SOME OF THOSE I MAKE THEM UP BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE EXISTING CARTELS, BUT NORMALLY I LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE UP THE NAMES.

YOU KNOW NEW MEXICO IS CALLED THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT OBVIOUSLY, SO, I MADE THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT CARTEL BECAUSE IT IS A CARTEL BASED IN NEW MEXICO.

>>LORENE: RIGHT.

SO, I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO ASK YOU THIS, GOING UNDERCOVER, YOU CAN'T SLIP UP.

IF YOU ARE USING AN ASSUMED NAME AND YOU DON'T ANSWER TO IT BECAUSE THAT'S NOT YOUR NAME, YOU JUST SPACE IT OUT A MINUTE, YOU CANNOT HAVE A CHINK IN YOUR ARMOR.

YOU HAVE TO BE ON ALL THE TIME SO HOW AND YOU ARE WORKING IN HIGHLY STRESSFUL SITUATIONS WHERE THERE ARE GUNS AND DRUGS INVOLVED AND PEOPLE ARE OF QUESTIONABLE MORALITY PERHAPS, PERHAPS NOT.

HOW DO YOU STAY ON LIKE THAT WHEN YOU ARE WORKING UNDERCOVER?

>>MICHAEL: WELL, I WAS A VERY GOOD ACTOR, I SHOULD HAVE WON A COUPLE OF ACADEMY AWARDS.

BUT I MAINTAINED MY COMPOSURE AND I'VE ALWAYS HAD WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY.

SO I WOULD DEVELOP MY PERSONA IF YOU WILL AS A DRUG TRAFFICKER, AND IT WAS A LITTLE BIT TAXING WHEN YOU HAVE TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE ALWAYS TESTING YOU.

YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT DRUG TRAFFICKERS ARE A VERY PARANOID LOT, SO THEY COULD ASK YOU QUESTIONS, TO TEST YOU AND IF YOU MAKE ONE MISTAKE, THAT COULD COST YOU YOUR LIFE.

SO IT IS STRESSFUL BUT LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, I AM VERY CALM WHEN I'M NEGOTIATING WITH THESE DRUG TRAFFICKERS AND I THINK MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THEY ARE MORE INTIMIDATED OF ME THAN I AM OF THEM.

>>LORENE: YES, YES.

BUT IT IS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT IS LIKE PARANOIA ON PARANOIA.

THE VERY DRUGS THEMSELVES NOW MOST, I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS TRUE OR NOT THE DEALERS AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL DO NOT PARTICIPATE OF THE DRUGS THAT THEY ARE DEALING, BUT SOME OF THE DRUGS THAT ARE BEING DEALT ARE JUST A MAINLINE TO PARANOIA.

SO YOU CAN'T BE IN A PARANOID STATE AND CONDUCTING THIS KIND OF INTERACTION.

>>MICHAEL: WELL YOU ARE RIGHT.

THE MAJOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS, THEY DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH DRUG ADDICTS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE A LIABILITY.

>>LORENE: YES.

>>MICHAEL: AND THEY GET CAUGHT AND THEY START GOING THROUGH WITHDRAWALS THEY ARE GOING TO START TALKING.

SO.

I ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, PORTRAY MYSELF AS BEING INTERESTED IN A PROFIT, YOU KNOW I NEVER PORTRAYED A DRUG ADDICT OR WHATEVER BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T DEAL WITH YOU, NOT AT THAT LEVEL.

>>LORENE: RIGHT.

WHAT KIND OF PERSON DO YOU NEED TO BE TO DO UNDERCOVER WORK, SUCCESSFUL UNDERCOVER WORK, WELL YOU HAVE THE PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY THAT HELPS.

YOU ARE ALSO UNFLAPPABLE AND HAVE A LOT OF NATURAL GRAVITAS, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE VERY CENTERED, YOU HAVE A VERY STRONG PRESENCE, BUT WHAT ELSE MIGHT SOMEONE NEED TO DO, BE A GOOD ACTOR AS YOU SAY.

>>MICHAEL: WELL WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO NEED TO KNOW IS THE PRICES OF THE DRUGS.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU ARE NEGOTIATING WITH A DRUG TRAFFICKER, AND HE THROWS OUT SOMETHING THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS AND YOU GO ALONG WITH IT, HE KNOWS THAT YOU ARE NOT A DRUG TRAFFICKER.

YOU ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE PERSONA THAT YOU LAID OUT, THE STORY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE WITH THAT STORY AND LIKE I SAID, THEY ARE GOING TO BE TESTING YOU.

YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO MAKE A MISTAKE AND YOU HAVE TO ANTICIPATE THE MOVES OF THESE DRUG TRAFFICKERS.

A LOT OF TIMES I WOULD BE WORKING UNDERCOVER I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO SHOW THEM TO BUY THE DRUGS, SO I WOULD TAKE HUNDREDS OF ONE DOLLAR BILLS AND THEN PUT A HUNDRED DOLLAR BILL ON EACH SIDE THEN TAPE THEM TO MY ANKLES SO THAT THEY COULD NOT FLIP THE BILLS AND I WAS ABLE TO GET THEM TO DELIVER THE DRUGS JUST BY LIFTING UP MY PANT LEG.

SO YOU DO THESE THINGS AND YOU ALSO PLAY ON THEIR GREED, I WAS WORKING IN SAN PAOLO, BRAZIL WITH BOLIVIANS ACTUALLY AND THEY WANTED TO SEE THE MONEY.

WELL I DIDN'T HAVE THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO SHOW THEM, SO I TOLD THEM, "LISTEN, IF AFTER ABOUT A WEEK YOU DON'T WANT TO SELL TO ME, I AM GOING TO FIND SOMEBODY ELSE."

AND THE GUY THAT I WAS MEETING WITH ACTUALLY LIED TO HIS PEOPLE AND SAID THAT HE HAD SEEN THE MONEY AND THEY DELIVERED AT A CLANDESTINE AIRSTRIP NEAR SAO PAOLO.

>>LORENE: WELL, WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH MICHAEL S. VIGIL ABOUT HIS AMAZING LIFE.

THIS IS HIS MEMOIR CALLED DE A L , HIS LIFE AND TIMES AS AN UNDERCOVER DEA AGENT AND THESE STORIES ARE INTRIGUING.

WAS THERE A TIME WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE TOAST?

>>MICHAEL: I DID, THERE WAS ONE TIME IN CABORCA, SONORA MEXICO.

I WAS WORKING UNDERCOVER ON A MAJOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS THERE.

I MET THEM AT A GASOLINE STATION/RESTAURANT AND THE MEXICAN FEDERAL JUDICIAL POLICE THAT WERE CONDUCTING SURVEILLANCE, THEY DIDN'T HAVE PATIENCE AND I AM SITTING AT THE RESTAURANT, AND THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, GIVING ME THIS SIGN LIKE "WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT'S GOING ON?"

AND THIS GUY IS THREATENING ME TELLING ME IF I AM A FEDERAL AGENT HE IS GOING TO KILL ME.

SO I AM PLAYING COOL, SO THE BAD GUYS SAYS HE HAS TO GO TO THE RESTROOM WHICH IS AN OUTDOOR RESTROOM, SO I FIGURED I BETTER FOLLOW HIM OUTSIDE.

AND SURE ENOUGH ONE OF THE MEXICAN FEDERAL JUDICIAL POLICE PUTS HIS GUN ON HIS CHEST AND HE GRABS THE BARREL.

SO NOW HE HAS GOT LEVERAGE AND HE TURNS IT, THE GUN GOES OFF AND HITS THE OTHER FEDERAL POLICE OFFICER IN THE HEAD AND A SPRAY OF RED BLOOD JUST GOES UP IN THE AIR.

HE TAKES THE GUN, AND HE FIRES TWO SHOTS AT ME FROM A DISTANCE OF A METER AND I COULD FEEL THE BULLETS PASS BY MY LEFT EAR AND THE SHOTS WERE RETURNED AND HE FELL AND LATER DIED.

>>LORENE: AND FIGHT OR FLIGHT KICKS IN IMMEDIATELY, BUT YOU COULDN'T HAVE EITHER FOUGHT OR GOTTEN AWAY FAST ENOUGH TO GET YOURSELF OUT OF THAT.

LUCKILY, THE MAN WAS KILLED BY YOUR ALLIES ON THE OUTSIDE.

BUT STILL, THAT TOOK TEN YEARS OFF OF YOU I AM SURE.

>>MICHAEL: WELL, IT IS ALWAYS THAT YOU KNOW THE ADRENALINE IS ALWAYS FLOWING AND AS AN UNDERCOVER AGENT, LORENE, YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO CURB THAT ADRENALINE FLOW BECAUSE YOU GET ADDICTED TO IT AND YOU START TAKING MORE CHANCES.

>>LORENE: AH.

>>MICHAEL: AND THAT BECOMES A VERY RISKY SITUATION FOR ANY UNDERCOVER AGENT.

SO YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL WITH IT.

>>LORENE: BECAUSE I WOULD HATE TO HAVE THAT THOUGHT CROSS YOUR MIND THAT YOU HAVE MADE A FATAL MISTAKE, AND YOU ARE JUST WAITING FOR THINGS TO TAKE THEIR COURSE.

>>MICHAEL: CORRECT.

>>LORENE: BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A FATAL MISTAKE IN THIS STATE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE MAKING, BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY DANGEROUS FENTANYL EPIDEMIC AND IT HAS GONE SO FAR THAT PEOPLE ARE MAILING FENTANYL LACED ENVELOPES AND YOU CAN ABSORB IT THROUGH YOUR SKIN TO ELECTION OFFICIALS IN GEORGIA, WASHINGTON, OREGON, NEVADA, A LOT OF PLACES.

AND ALSO THEY ARE NOW MAKING HEART SHAPED FENTANYL TABLETS TO APPEAL TO TEENAGERS AS A KIND OF BRANDING.

SO THIS AND ALBUQUERQUE JUST HAD A HUGE FENTANYL AWARENESS MEETING AND THEY HAD PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN CHANGED OR WHOSE LOVED ONES HAVE BEEN LOST AND EVERYONE IS TRYING TO WARN PEOPLE ABOUT THE DANGERS OF FENTANYL BECAUSE IT IS NO LONGER, TELL ME SOME OF THE STATISTICS, WHAT IS THE DEATH RATE IN AMERICA?

>>MICHAEL: FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE ARE LOSING ABOUT 70,000 PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES TO FENTANYL OVERDOSE DEATHS.

BUT GETTING BACK TO YOUR POINT, FENTANYL CANNOT BE ABSORBED THROUGH THE SKIN.

BUT THE LETTERS THAT YOU TALK ABOUT THAT HAVE BEEN MAILED TO ELECTION OFFICIALS, IF THEY INGEST IT OR BREATHE... >>LORENE: OH SO THEY COULD TEAR OPEN THE ENVELOPE.

>>MICHAEL: SO THEY TEAR OPEN AND THEY BREATH IN BECAUSE TWO MILLIGRAMS OF FENTANYL CAN BE FATAL TO AN ADULT.

>>LORENE: AND THAT IS A FEW GRAINS OF SALT.

>>MICHAEL: THAT WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT THREE GRAINS OF SALT.

AND IT IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS AND PEOPLE THAT TAKE FENTANYL, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF SURVIVAL IF THEY ARE PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE.

>>LORENE: THOSE ARE NOT GOOD ODDS.

I HEAR NOW THAT IT IS BEING COMBINED WITH SOMETHING CALLED XYLAZINE, AN ANIMAL TRANQUILIZER?

>>MICHAEL: THAT'S CORRECT.

XYLAZINE IS AN ANIMAL TRANQUILIZER LIKE YOU SAID AND IT IS BEING MIXED WITH FENTANYL WHICH MAKES IT EVEN MORE DANGEROUS, THEY CALL IT TRANQ OR THEY CALL IT THE ZOMBIE DRUG BECAUSE IT CAUSES NECROSIS OF THE SKIN AND IT CAN LEAD TO AMPUTATIONS.

NOW, THIS XYLAZINE FENTANYL MIXTURE HAS BEEN FOUND IN 48 OF THE 50 STATES.

>>LORENE: WELL, THAT IS GHASTLY ENOUGH EVEN THE NAME, ZOMBIE DRUG DOES NOT MAKE IT PARTICULARLY ATTRACTIVE, BUT, BECAUSE THOSE TWO DRUGS ARE COMBINED, IT RENDERS NARCAN, THE LIFEGIVING OVERDOSE SAVING DRUG, IT DOESN'T WORK ON THAT COMBINATION.

SO SOMEONE WHO HAS TRANQ AND OF COURSE THE FIRST RESPONDERS TO SOMEBODY WHO HAS PASSED OUT, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY TOOK AND THEY TRY NARCAN AND NARCAN WILL NOT WORK IF THEY HAVE ALSO HAD THE FENTANYL LACED WITH TRANQ.

>>MICHAEL: THAT'S CORRECT.

NARCAN ONLY REVERSES OPIOID OVERDOSES, BUT IT IS NOT GOING TO WORK ON XYLAZINE AND OTHER THINGS SUCH AS METHAMPHETAMINE, COCAINE OR WHATEVER.

ONLY ON SYNTHETIC OR NATURAL OPIOIDS.

>>LORENE: WELL, SO I HAVE HEARD THERE ARE TEST STRIPS AVAILABLE AND I DON'T KNOW WHO STARTED DOING THAT BUT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT EITHER USER OR SELLER OR LAW ENFORCEMENT NEED TO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DEALING WITH.

>>MICHAEL: THAT'S CORRECT BECAUSE THE CARTELS IN MEXICO, LORENE, ARE MIXING FENTANYL WITH OTHER DRUGS.

FOR EXAMPLE, METHAMPHETAMINE, MARIJUANA, HEROIN, COCAINE, SO THE USERS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES DON'T KNOW THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY INGESTING FENTANYL.

SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE THESE TEST STRIPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DRUGS THAT THEY ARE ABOUT TO CONSUME DON'T HAVE FENTANYL AND THAT IS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THAT WE ARE SUFFERING SO MANY DEATHS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE THE ADDICTS DON'T KNOW THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY TAKING FENTANYL.

>>LORENE: SO MOST STATE AND FEDERAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS TRY TO DO SOMETHING CALLED HARM REDUCTION AND WITH INJECTABLES THEY WOULD MAKE IT SO YOU COULD GET A CLEAN HYPODERMIC KIT, A SET WITH NEEDLE AND SYRINGE.

YOU COULD JUST HAND IN YOUR OLD ONES, THEY WOULD GIVE YOU CLEAN ONES BECAUSE OF THE DANGER OF DISEASES AND THE FATALITIES FROM SHARED NEEDLE USE.

SO, WHO IS MAKING THESE TESTS STRIPS AVAILABLE, ARE THEY READILY AVAILABLE, BECAUSE I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THEM.

>>MICHAEL: THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS MAKING THOSE READILY AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH A LOT OF THE STATE INSTITUTIONS, HEALTH INSTITUTIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE USING DRUGS THAT THEY HAVE THESE TEST STRIPS.

I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT FIRST RESPONDERS, YOU KNOW, POLICE OFFICERS, FIRE FIGHTERS, EMTS, YOU KNOW, EVEN FAMILY MEMBERS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE DRUG ADDICTS IN THE FAMILY, THAT THEY HAVE NARCAN SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD PREVENT A LOT OF THE DEATHS FROM OCCURRING HERE IN THIS COUNTRY.

>>LORENE: WELL THERE IS SO MUCH ELSE TO TALK ABOUT, BUT I THOUGHT WE REALLY HAD TO BROACH THE FENTANYL ISSUE TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE AND ALSO TEACHERS, RELIGIOUS LEADERS, PARENTS, OTHER TEENAGERS THERE NEEDS TO BE A MUCH, I MEAN ALBUQUERQUE TRIED WITH THE FENTANYL AWARENESS BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A MUCH BROADER EDUCATION ABOUT WHAT THIS IS.

SO, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT, SO TELL ME WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW THAT I HAVEN'T MENTIONED.

>>MICHAEL: WELL I THINK YOU COVERED A LOT OF IT BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE NEED MORE TREATMENT FACILITIES IN NEW MEXICO.

WE NEED TO BASICALLY DISTRIBUTE THESE TESTS STRIPS, AND NARCAN.

I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE INCORPORATE INTO THE SCHOOLS CURRICULUM DRUG EDUCATION BECAUSE DEMAND REDUCTION TO ME IS THE KEY TO SOLVING THIS PROBLEM AND WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB IN THAT REGARD BECAUSE IN THE SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, WE GET A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL, WE GET A POLICE OFFICER THAT WILL TALK TO THE KIDS, YOU KNOW MAYBE ONCE A YEAR.

WELL, THAT'S NOT GOING TO CUT IT, YOU KNOW WE NEED TO DO A LOT BETTER JOB IN THAT REGARD.

>>LORENE: ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS, PRESENTATIONS, HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY WITH THE ANTI-METHEDRINE CAMPAIGN BECAUSE THEY WILL HAVE A VERY STRUNG-OUT PERSON, NO TEETH LEFT AND EVERYTHING AND SHE WILL HOLD A PICTURE OF WHAT SHE WAS LAST YEAR AND SHE WAS A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN AND NOW, THERE IS NOT MUCH LEFT, I MEAN SHE HAS REALLY DAMAGED HERSELF AND SO FOR PEOPLE TO REALIZE IF I AM GOING DOWN THIS PATH THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS UP.

>>MICHAEL: WELL, THE THING IS THAT ILLEGAL DRUGS ONLY LEAD TO DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, AND IT IS VERY UNFORTUNATE, BUT, I THINK WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB WHEN OUR CHILDREN ARE VERY SMALL AND EDUCATE THEM BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, THE PARENTS ARE BUSY, BOTH OF THEM WORK, THEY GET HOME TIRED.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR LEGISLATORS TO REALLY CREATE FUNDING FOR TEACHERS THAT WILL HANDLE THAT IN THE SCHOOLS AND IT IS NOT ONLY HERE IN NEW MEXICO BUT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

>>LORENE: AND WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES LEFT, BUT YOU TALKED ABOUT HARM PREVENTION, HOW ARE MOST OF THESE DRUGS COMING INTO THE COUNTRY AND THEY THINK THAT PERHAPS ONE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT HAS A BACKPACK FULL OF, BUT, NO, TELL US HOW IT IS REALLY GETTING HERE.

>>MICHAEL: WELL, YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT BLAME MIGRANTS THAT ARE BRINGING THE DRUGS IN, THAT IS NOT TRUE.

YES, MAYBE THERE IS A BACKPACKER HERE OR THERE BUT THAT WOULD NEVER SATISFY ALL OF THE DEMAND THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, SO, MOST OF IT IS COMING IN THROUGH THE LEGITIMATE PORTS OF ENTRY, I WOULD SAY 80 TO 85 PERCENT.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE DRUG TUNNELS THROUGHOUT THE 2,000-MILE US/MEXICO BORDER, THEY CAN FLY IT IN AND THEN KEEP IN MIND THAT WE HAVE COMMON BORDER WITH MEXICO ON THE PACIFIC SIDE AND THEN ALSO ON THE GULF OF MEXICO SO THEY CAN USE BOATS TO BRING IT IN.

IN THE PAST, WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO SEARCH ABOUT 17 PERCENT OF THE TRUCKS COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES AND ABOUT THREE PERCENT OF PASSENGER VEHICLES, BY 2026, THERE ARE GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH SCANNERS TO AT LEAST BE ABLE TO SEARCH 70 PERCENT OF THE TRUCKS.

>>LORENE: WELL THAT IS A HUGE IMPROVEMENT.

>>MICHAEL: IT IS A HUGE IMPROVEMENT.

IT IS NOT PERFECT, BUT IT IS MUCH BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST.

>>LORENE: WELL, THERE IS JUST SO MUCH TO DO.

I AM SO GRATEFUL.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS MICHAEL S. VIGIL.

I WANT TO RECOMMEND MANY OF HIS BOOKS, THIS ONE, HIS MEMOIR, DEAL IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW DANGEROUS GOING UNDERCOVER AND ALSO WORKING WITH THESE COMMODITIES AND THE PEOPLE THAT PROFIT FROM THEM.

SO GIVE US ONE LAST STATEMENT IF YOU WOULD FOR OUR EDUCATION AND OUR BENEFIT, WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE NEED TO KNOW?

>>MICHAEL: I THINK THAT WE NEED TO KNOW THAT DRUGS ARE HIGHLY DANGEROUS.

FENTANYL IS PROBABLY THE MOST DANGEROUS DRUG THAT WE HAVE EVER FACED HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO TRY TO DIMINISH THE IMPACT THAT THIS DRUG IS HAVING BECAUSE IT TRULY IS A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER, AND IT IS A NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT.

>>LORENE: WELL, I THINK IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET YOUR MESSAGE OUT AND FOR US TO EDUCATE EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE WE ARE LOSING SO MANY PEOPLE WE DON'T HAVE TO LOSE AND >>MICHAEL: I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU, LORENE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOUR PROGRAMS DEALING WITH PUBLIC AWARENESS UNDOUBTEDLY SAVES LIVES AND YOU ARE A TREASURE TO NEW MEXICO.

>>LORENE: WELL, THANK YOU, IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE, MR. VIGIL.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS MICHAEL S. VIGIL.

I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THESE BOOKS, THE RISE OF THE SICARIO, DEAL IS A REALLY GOOD ONE, AND THE NEW ONE, DRUG CAPO.

>>MICHAEL: DRUG CAPO .

>>LORENE: GOOD.

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>MICHAEL: THANK YOU SO MUCH, LORENE, IT IS A PLEASURE SEEING YOU AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

>>LORENE: YES, I KNOW.

AND I AM LORENE MILLS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU OUR AUDIENCE FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM