U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, third from left, was on hand for the Aug. 28 groundbreaking of the DEA's new laboratory at 3 Burton Dr. The lab was made possible with $50 million secured by Shaheen. Courtesy photo

LONDONDERRY – With $50 million secured by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration recently began the 20-month process of building a laboratory to service New England.

“The new DEA lab will help law enforcement keep our streets safe and drug free by providing the capabilities to analyze unidentified substances right here in New Hampshire,” Shaheen said during the Aug. 28 groundbreaking ceremony. “Far too many Granite State families have been impacted by the drug epidemic. I’ll continue to pursue every avenue available to end this crisis and keep Americans safe.”

At nearly 51,000 square feet, the facility will occupy the property at 3 Burton Dr. The lab will specialize in drug chemistry and latent fingerprint identification.

Town Manager Michael Malaguti said it will be an honor to have the DEA lab in town.

“Any reduction in the time it takes to investigate substance use-related crime will be a welcome relief to law enforcement officials across New England,” he said. “It is Londonderry’s privilege to host this new facility.”

Malaguti also said he got a close look at the epidemic during his time as a prosecutor for the Londonderry Police Department.

“Most residents of Londonderry have personal experience with the effects of this crisis,” he said. “We have witnessed impacts such as grandparents raising grandchildren when the parents cannot, families facing financial devastation due to the cost of addiction and young people taken from their loved ones far too soon.”

As the DEA’s eighth regional facility nationwide, the lab is expected to have 56 jobs available once it is up and running in April 2026. The facility will also analyze more than 5,000 drug exhibits each year. That data will be used to expedite evidence to prosecute drug crimes and allow the DEA to identify new street drugs. In addition, the lab will provide forensic analysis for drug investigations in upstate New York.

“The DEA’s Office of Forensic Sciences plays an integral role in this fight to save lives by providing quality scientific, technical and administrative support to our law enforcement partners and the intelligence communities,” said Scott Oulton, the DEA’s deputy assistant administrator. “Breaking ground in New Hampshire has been years in the making. The reality of this project provides the blueprint to expand the DEA’s unique and critical forensic capabilities across the country.”

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdoses continue to be the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18-45. Within that age bracket, 70 percent of those deaths are caused by fentanyl with the remaining 30 percent caused by crystal methamphetamine.

DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels, both of Mexico, continue to funnel massive amounts of drugs into the U.S. at an alarming rate.

According to the DEA’s National Drug Threat Assessment, the Sinaloa Cartel is one of the most “violent and prolific polydrug-trafficking cartels in the world.” The cartel was established in 1987 by Ismael Zambada García and Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. Known by the DEA as the “godfather of the drug world,” Guzmán was considered to be an even greater power than Pablo Escobar, founder of the notorious Medellín Cartel in Columbia. In February 2019, Guzmán was sentenced to life plus 30 years at ADX Florence, a super-maximum security prison in Colorado. García was arrested in July of this year and is awaiting trial. Although it is without a leader, the cartel is still believed to be operating in at least 47 countries.

The Jalisco Cartel rose to power in 2011 and has become one of Mexico’s “most powerful and ruthless criminal organizations.” The cartel is believed to have operations in at least 40 countries. It is currently overseen by Ruben “El Mencho” Oseguera-Cervantes, who continues to evade law enforcement. The U.S. Department of State has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to his arrest.

“The New Hampshire laboratory will analyze evidence that will be used to defeat the two cartels responsible for thousands of drug poisonings across the country and will help us stay ahead of emerging drug threats and save lives,” said Milgram. “The DEA is grateful for the support of our state and federal law enforcement partners as well as the support from congress that made this lab a reality.”

The DEA has remained steadfast in its efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. So far this year, its Manchester office has seized more than 100 pounds of fentanyl, thus preventing nearly 4.7 million overdoses. That figure is greater than the combined population of New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and Rhode Island.