FBI Investigating Utah Homeland Security Drug Trafficking Scheme

FBI agents have made an arrest related to an alleged drug trafficking conspiracy at the Utah Department of Homeland Security. 

Our news partners with ABC4 Utah reported on the scheme through an article written by Derick Fox.  

Fox wrote, “The Utah Department of Homeland Security was at the center of an FBI raid within the last week, resulting in at least one agent in custody. That agent has now been identified by court documents as David Cole. He has been federally charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.” 

Cole, along with another unidentified agent at the department, are accused of using their position to sell illegal narcotics such as cathinone and bath salts. 

The agents would reportedly sell the bath salts to an informant, who would then sell the drugs on the streets. 

Fox wrote, “Cole and the unidentified agent allegedly never arrested any of the people the informant would sell the bath salts to. Meanwhile, the informant continued to perform legitimate controlled buys with other HSI agents. In October 2024, the informant reportedly told his attorney that Cole and the unidentified agent were asking him to do unlawful acts outside of HSI-sanctioned operations.” 

The FBI used the informant to launch an investigation by using a wire to gather evidence through meetings with Cole and the unidentified agent. 

Fox wrote, “According to the FBI investigation, Cole and the unidentified agent profited between $150,000 and $300,000 in illegal proceeds earned through the sale of bath salts. The investigation culminated in a raid late on Wednesday, Dec. 4, and Thursday, Dec. 5. FBI agents searched the two agents’ cubicles, vehicles, phones, and homes, seizing bath salts and $67,000 in cash, among other evidence.”