The DEA could have caught Walter White earlier if they had played it smart. In the episode, "Better Call Saul," they busted Badger after purchasing meth from him one time, which never happens. You don't go through all of the trouble of setting up an undercover cop with multiple backups watching him in order to bust a guy after a single purchase. A guy getting busted after one sale can try the whole "It was my first time" defense, which could conceivably work. Here's what would have really happened.
Anorexic cop would purchase from Badger. Then he'd buy from Badger again, and again, and again, over several weeks, maybe even months.
After becoming a trusted customer, he would have built a small bit of rapport with Badger. Maybe they would have bonded over music, or video games, or whatever, but conversations would start to happen. "Hey, let's not meet at a park bench in public. Here's my number. Call me when you've got more, okay?"
Inevitably, he and Badger would get close enough that he'd be introduced to Skinny Pete and Combo (or he'd at least hear their names). He may even hear Jesse's name mentioned once or twice, along with the famed "Heisenberg."
Of course, while all of this is happening, they would be tailing Badger. They would have pictures and addresses of Skinny Pete and Combo. There'd be a separate team, probably with separate undercover cops, each befriending the other sellers of Blue Sky. All coordinating and building a massive case.
They would eventually find out who Jesse is. That wouldn't take long at all. After all, Jesse has to meet with his sellers in order to collect the money and give them more meth to sell. They'd begin to tail Jesse, bugging his car, his phone, his home, etc... They'd know that Jesse cooks with Heisenberg and that he's pretty much 2nd in command at this point. It wouldn't be too long before they saw Walt, and then all of the pieces would fall into place.
(1/2)
