Four state takedown targets dirty doctors, pharmacies, pill
mills
May 20, (New Orleans, LA) –
DEA and federal prosecutors today announced unprecedented enforcement
action across the states of Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi in an
effort to reverse the horrible effects produced by the trafficking and abuse of
pharmaceuticals. As part of this effort,
dubbed Operation Pilluted, 22 doctors and pharmacists were arrested in the
15-month operation which involved nearly a thousand law enforcement officers
across the four states. 280 arrests took place total across the four states as
part of the operation.
Operation Pilluted was led by the DEA New Orleans Field
Division and utilized intelligence data, information provided by state and
local law enforcement, and complaints made by citizens, to identify DEA Registrants
and others involved in prescribing, obtaining, and distributing dangerous and
addictive controlled substances such as Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, and Xanax. (A Registrant is a person authorized by DEA
to prescribe, dispense, and administer controlled substances.) In 2013, approximately 43,982 unintentional
drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States, one death every 13
minutes. Nearly 52 percent of those
deaths (22,767) were attributed to prescription drugs. Of these, 71 percent (16,235) were attributed
to opioid overdoses.
“DEA is committed to reducing the destruction brought on by
the trafficking and abuse of prescription drugs through aggressive criminal
enforcement, robust administrative oversight, and strong relationships with
other law enforcement agencies, the public, and the medical community,” said
DEA Special Agent in-Charge Keith Brown. “The doctors and pharmacists arrested
in Operation Pilluted are nothing more than drug traffickers who prey on the
addiction of others while abandoning the Hippocratic Oath adhered to faithfully
by thousands of doctors and pharmacists each day across this country.”
In addition to the arrest of 22 doctors and pharmacists, DEA
took action to remove or restrict the ability of the targeted DEA Registrants
to prescribe or dispense controlled substances.
As part of Operation Pilluted, DEA issued 2 Immediate Suspension
Orders[1] and obtained the voluntary surrender for cause of an additional 40
DEA Registrations. (An immediate
suspension order immediately suspends the DEA Registration of the doctor or
pharmacist pending the outcome of an Administrative Hearing.) DEA is pursuing Administrative Actions which
may result in the revocation of additional DEA Registrations.
The doctors and pharmacists arrested were part of a total of
280 individuals arrested on Federal and state charges related to their illegal
pharmaceutical trafficking activities.
21 search warrants were executed across Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, and
Mississippi. 51 vehicles, 202 weapons,
and $404,828 in cash were seized in the operation. 73 seizure warrants were executed which
resulted in the seizure of $11,651,565 USC and $6,745,800 in real property.
Utilizing every enforcement and regulatory tool possible,
and working closely with state and local law enforcement and regulatory
agencies, Operation Pilluted reflects DEA’s mission to identify and target the
individuals and organizations responsible for the illicit trafficking of
pharmaceutical controlled substances. Drug traffickers and drug seekers have
many methods of obtaining pharmaceuticals, from unscrupulous pain clinics, or
“pill mills,” prescription forgery and theft, “doctor shopping,” and pharmacy
burglary and robbery. DEA is committed
to its pursuit of those who violate the law to divert dangerous pharmaceutical
drugs, and to working with other law enforcement and regulatory agencies, the
public, and the medical and pharmaceutical communities to reduce the
availability of illegal pharmaceuticals and the harm they cause.
In addition to DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the
four states, other federal participants in Operation Pilluted include FBI, DHS,
U.S. Marshals, FDA, ATF, and IRS. State
and local law enforcement from each of the four states were instrumental as well.
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