Media invite: Undercover investigator school wraps up as fentanyl, meth remain region’s top drug threats

MERIDIAN, Idaho — With fentanyl and methamphetamine projected to remain the region’s most serious drug threats in 2026, investigators graduating from the “Top Gun” advanced undercover training will be tasked with disrupting the flow of those drugs into Idaho and the surrounding region.

The “Top Gun” program is an intensive, hands-on course that brings investigators and prosecutors together to sharpen undercover tactics, evidence development, and interagency coordination. This week’s training began at Gowen Field Air Force Base and concludes Friday, Sept. 26, at the Meridian Public Safety Training Center with scenario-based drills that mirror real-world cases.

“The lives lost to these drugs are more than numbers. They’re mothers, fathers, children, and friends,” Lt. Jess Stennett said. “That’s why our investigators are trained to take these drugs off the street and protect Idaho communities.”

Media invited to:

• What: Final-day scenario for Idaho’s “Top Gun” undercover investigator school
• When: Friday, Sept. 26 at 11 a.m. (media should arrive by 10:45 a.m. for check-in and safety briefing)
• Where: Meridian Public Safety Training Center, Meridian, Idaho
• Visuals & access: Photo/video of investigators during scenarios — The faces of investigators cannot be shown
• RSVP: If planning to attend, please RSVP to PIO Sophia Miraglio at (208) 989-0837

According to the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) 2026 Drug Threat Assessment, fentanyl and methamphetamine will remain the region’s most serious drug threats. In 2023, fentanyl was linked to 75% of overdose deaths in Oregon and 51% in Idaho, while methamphetamine was present in 63% of Oregon overdose deaths and 38% in Idaho’s four counties that make up the designated trafficking area.

Oregon-Idaho HIDTA – The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA region spans approximately 40,632 square miles across 12 counties in Oregon and four in Idaho. Idaho counties designated as part of the HIDTA region include Ada, Bannock, Canyon, and Kootenai counties.

Posted in District 3 - Western Idaho