New Mexico's governor said Monday that state officials could pursue billions of dollars in civil damages after revelations that U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents repeatedly allowed ship

New Mexico's governor says the state could seek billions in civil damages after DEA agents allowed fentanyl shipments into communities.

DEA agents in New Mexico allegedly tracked fentanyl shipments without seizing them while building larger cases. Whistleblowers say the tactic endangered lives, while officials argue it targeted bigger trafficking networks.

An AP investigation found DEA agents let fentanyl consignments move through New Mexico during wider trafficking probes. The tactic has intensified scrutiny over whether bigger cases were built at the cost of public safety.