The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has quietly removed its former top official in Mexico, who allegedly had links to several lawyers in Miami representing notable drug traffickers.

Nicholas Palmeri served as the DEA's top official in Mexico but was ousted last year after a brief 14-month stint. 

The Associated Press has gained access to some records relating to why he was ousted and revealed that Palmeri, who previously supervised dozens of DEA agents across Mexico, Central America, and Canada, had some connections to drug lawyers in Miami.

The report further noted that separate internal investigations raised other red flags, including his lax handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in two sick DEA agents being airlifted out of Mexico.

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Mexico DEA Chief Nicholas Palmeri and His Corruption

Nicholas Palmeri was also found to be very corrupt, often using funds meant to fight drugs in Mexico for inappropriate purposes. That includes his seeking to be reimbursed for paying for his own birthday party.

The DEA Mexico chief was reportedly often seen interacting cozily with Miami-based lawyers representing some of Latin America's largest drug traffickers and money launderers.

Federal prosecutors charged a DEA agent and a former supervisor last year for leaking confidential information to two unnamed Miami defense lawyers in exchange for $70,000.

According to Breaking Belize News, U.S. officials identified one of those drug lawyers as David Macey, who is also implicated in the probe into Palmeri.

The attorney allegedly hosted Palmeri and his Mexican-born wife at his home in the Florida Keys for two days.

Investigators claimed this trip did not serve any work purpose and violated rules governing interactions with lawyers designed to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

Palmeri admitted to detectives that he stayed at Macey's vacation home and took an unauthorized Miami trip with his wife in February 2021. He added that his wife worked as a translator for another prominent lawyer, Ruben Oliva.

The purpose of the trip to Miami was allegedly to "debrief" a confidential source. However, the report said Palmeri and his wife showed up in a private home with a bottle of wine.

Officially, Palmeri was not fired. Records show that he was immediately transferred to Washington headquarters in May 2021 before stepping down last March.

It was unclear why the DEA allowed him to retire instead of being fired. Palmeri told AP that the investigations against him were a "witch hunt," that stemmed from personal and professional jealousies.

DEA's Most Corrupt Agent Speaks Out

The probe into Nicholas Palmeri comes after José Irizarry, the man dubbed "the most corrupt agent" in DEA's history, admitted to his crimes and stated that he was not going down alone. 

He told AP he had a lavish lifestyle due to conspiring with Colombian drug cartels. In 2020, Irizarry pleaded guilty to 19 corruption counts, including bank fraud and money laundering.

He was portrayed as a rogue agent during the trial. Before starting his 12-year prison sentence, he admitted to AP that no one "can't win an unwinnable war." 

:DEA knows this and the agents know this... There's so much dope leaving Colombia. And there's so much money. We know we're not making a difference," said Irizarry, who was once a standout DEA agent.

He added: "The drug war is a game... It was a very fun game that we were playing."

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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Drugs 'Is a Game' - From Associated Press