Last month in Phoenix, the Arizona Attorney General's Office (AGO) and its agents and prosecutors received recognition from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) during the 2025 National HIDTA Awards ceremony. They were honored for their involvement in the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) investigation, "Operation Double Down."
Attorney General Kris Mayes remarked on the importance of the work carried out by her office, stating, "The work my office does as part of HIDTA is key to stopping the Mexican drug cartels and halting the flow of fentanyl through Arizona communities. I am grateful to our federal and local law enforcement partners. We will continue to work together to aggressively investigate and prosecute these transitional criminals."
The Arizona HIDTA team was commended for their efforts, which were recognized as the best overall "Investigation." Operation Double Down was conducted over seven months, involving multiple agencies to gather intelligence aimed at identifying and intercepting individuals involved in illegal drug transportation within Arizona.
Key participants included the Phoenix Police Department (PPD) Drug Enforcement Bureau’s (DEB) Conspiracy Squad and the DEA Phoenix Field Division’s Financial Investigations Group (FIG). These entities engaged in a long-term investigation targeting a transnational criminal organization responsible for drug trafficking and money laundering activities within Arizona. Following their efforts, prosecutors at the AGO, including Assistant Attorney General Veronica Skinner, collaborated with PPD and DEB investigators to secure arrest warrants for 25 individuals identified through the investigation.
The Attorney General's Office has maintained collaboration with various local, state, and federal agencies to address the flow of illegal substances into the state and their distribution across the country. This operation has exemplified the potential achievements when law enforcement agencies and prosecutors pool their resources and work in conjunction to serve their communities effectively.
In light of these accomplishments, gratitude was extended to all the partners instrumental in the success of Operation Double Down, including the PPD, DEB, DEA, and the Arizona HIDTA network.