The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) requires all entities it has authorized to manufacture or handle controlled substances and “listed chemicals” to inform the agency about any “theft or significant loss of any controlled substance, disposal receptacles or listed chemicals within one business day of discovery of such loss or theft.”
In September 2022, the Data Liberation Project (DLP) filed a Freedom of Information Act request for database records corresponding to those reports (excluding fields containing narratives or personal information), plus all relevant database documentation.
In May 2023, the DLP received the DEA’s response. It contained a determination letter 📄 and two spreadsheets. The two spreadsheets contain aggregate counts of theft/loss incidents, aggregated by state, business activity, type of loss, and year. The agency did not provide any of the underlying report data requested, but later provided a partially redacted manual for how to use the TLR program.
To access the spreadsheets, reformatted versions, and additional documentation, visit this GitHub repository.