Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Karen P. Tandy today announced the results of Operation “Cyber Chase”, a year-long Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation that targeted international Internet pharmaceutical traffickers operating in the United States, India, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. These e-traffickers distributed drugs world-wide using “rogue” Internet pharmacies.
Over the past 48 hours there were 20 arrests in eight U.S. cities and four foreign countries. Domestically arrests occurred in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Ft. Lauderdale and Sarasota, Florida; Abilene and Tyler, Texas; New York, NY; Greenville, SC; and Rochester, New York. Internationally arrests occurred in San Jose, Costa Rica; New Delhi, Agra, and Bombay, India.
DEA Administrator Tandy; Scott Burns Deputy Director for State and Local Affairs, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP); Brian Lampkin, Section Chief, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Financial Crimes Section; Deputy Assistant Director of Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Paul Kilcoyne; Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs, Food and Drug Administration, John M. Taylor; Paul J. Trimbur, Inspector in Charge, Mail Theft, Violent Crimes and Narcotics Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspections Service (USPIS); and Commissioner Mark W. Everson, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) made the announcement today.
DEA, FBI, ICE, FDA, USPIS, IRS, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Patrick L. Meehan; United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Roslynn R. Mauskopf; state and local law enforcement; and law enforcement authorities in four foreign countries participated in this investigation.
Operation “Cyber Chase” targeted major pharmaceutical drug traffickers who allegedly shipped Schedule II-V pharmaceutical controlled substances including narcotics, amphetamines, and anabolic steroids directly to buyers of all ages without the medical examination by a physician required by U.S. law.
These e-traffickers used more than 200 websites to illicitly distribute pharmaceutical controlled substances. Cyber Chase is part of DEA’s “On-Line Pharmacy Investigation Strategy” spearheaded by DEA’s Special Operations Division (SOD). SOD is a joint law enforcement program which is comprised of agents and analysts from the DEA, FBI, IRS and ICE, as well as attorneys from the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division.
DEA Administrator Karen P. Tandy said, “For too long the Internet has been an open medicine cabinet with cyber drug dealers illegally doling out a vast array of narcotics, amphetamines, and steroids. In this first major international enforcement action against online rogue pharmacies and their sources of supply, we’ve logged these traffickers off the Internet.”
Operation Cyber Chase began after the DEA Philadelphia Division identified a Philadelphia-based international Internet drug trafficking organization, allegedly headed by Indian nationals Brij Bhusan Bansal and Akhil Bansal. The Bansal Organization allegedly repackaged controlled substances smuggled into the United States from India and other countries and distributed them throughout the U.S. and the world.
John Walters, Director of National Drug Control Policy said, “Prescription drugs help millions of Americans every day. But their misuse is becoming a serious problem, abetted by drug traffickers who are using the Internet to attempt to subvert our medical prescription system. E-traffickers that target young people and those suffering from the disease of addiction are now the target of law enforcement action, while we continue to ensure proper access to needed medications. I would like to thank and applaud the agencies and offices involved in this investigation as their efforts truly make America safer.”
Since July 2003, the Bansal Organization distributed approximately 2.5 million dosage units of Schedule II-V pharmaceutical controlled substances including Vicodin (hydrocodone), anabolic steroids, and amphetamines per month.
“The FBI remains committed to investigating the illegal sale of pharmaceuticals over the Internet. The FBI’s Internet Pharmaceutical Fraud Initiative is working with the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other federal, state, local and international law enforcement partners to combat this crime and dismantle the responsible criminal enterprises,” said FBI Director Robert Mueller. “Illegal pharmaceuticals pose a great risk to the health and welfare of the American public. These drugs are being manufactured overseas in unregulated facilities, smuggled into the United States in an uncontrolled environment, and distributed without oversight of a licensed physician or pharmacist.”
“This investigation dismantled a major source of illicit pharmaceuticals that posed a significant public health threat. Closing down these illegal, Internet drug pipelines is essential to protecting consumers of pharmaceuticals,” said Michael J. Garcia, Assistant Secretary, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“Operation Cyber Chase sends an instant message to ‘cybercriminals’ that the Internet is not their safehouse. Criminals, disguised as entrepreneurs, use the Internet to invade your home and push their poison. Whether the battle is on the street or on the Web, the outcome remains the same: Postal Inspectors will continue working with our law enforcement partners to bring offenders to justice,” said Chief Postal Inspector Lee R. Heath.
“Consumers ordering prescription drugs from a website they’re not familiar with put themselves in a ‘buyer beware’ situation,” said John Taylor, Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs, Food and Drug Administration. “The medications may be coming from unknown sources, may not be stored or labeled properly, and may not meet quality assurance standards designed to produce safe and effective products. Many of the safeguards that exist for brick and mortar pharmacies do not exist for Internet Pharmacies and the potential for harmful drug interactions is magnified.”
“The combined efforts of law enforcement agencies in an investigation of this magnitude produce a formidable force against narcotics trafficking and money laundering. Individuals and businesses utilizing the Internet to sell pharmaceuticals are bound by the same laws and regulations that apply to the corner drug store,” said Nancy Jardini, Chief, IRS Criminal Investigation. “The link between where the money comes from, who gets it, when it is received, and where it is stored or deposited, can provide evidence that a crime was committed. Finding and connecting those links is what IRS brings to this cooperative effort.”
In early April, the Grand Jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and in the Eastern District of New York issued indictments charging the following: 21 U.S.C. § 841 Illegal Distribution of Controlled Substances, 21 U.S.C. § 846 Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, 21 U.S.C. § 848 Continuing Criminal Enterprise, 21 U.S.C. § 963 Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances, 21 U.S.C. § 331(a) Introduction of Misbranded Drugs into Interstate Commerce, 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(1) Promotional Money Laundering, 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(2) International Money Laundering, 18 U.S.C. § 1957 Transactional Money Laundering, 18 U.S.C. § 982 Criminal Forfeiture, 21 U.S.C. § 853 Criminal Forfeiture, 21 U.S.C. § 970 Criminal Forfeiture and 18 U.S.C. § 2 Aiding and Abetting
This indictment also seeks forfeiture of 41 bank accounts, 26 in the U.S. and the remaining in Cyprus, India, Singapore, the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, West Indies, Antigua, and Ireland. Illegal financial transactions listed in the indictment total more than $6 million with restitution sought for that amount.
During January 2005, DEA launched a toll-free international hotline — 1-877-RxAbuse for the public to anonymously report the illegal sale and abuse of prescription drugs. DEA has received hundreds of tips already, including those about suspicious Internet pharmacies, and this information is assisting DEA to bring drug dealers to justice.
These illegal online pharmacies show how very important it is for patients to check that their online pharmacy is legitimate. Legitamate online pharmacies can be a very attractive option for patients because they generally sell prescription drugs at lower costs than walk ups because they can elimate overhead costs associated with maintaining a physical storefront.
One sure fire way to verify that an online pharmacy is legitamate is by finding out the the pharmacy’s liscence number and US address. This information should be easily found on the pharmacy’s website.
For example, SmartChoiceDrugstore.com offers prescription drugs at lower costs by not maintaining a physical storefront and taking smaller profit margins. SmartChoice lists the following information on its “About Us” page:
Pharmacy Ownership information:
SCDrugstore, Inc. D/B/A Smartchoicedrugstore
4030 W. Braker Lane Suite 400
Austin, Texas 78759
512.610.6833
License # 24171
Pharmacist in Charge is Judy Welch, M.S., RPh
To report medication problems to the pharmacy
please call 1.866.289.6337 or email
pharmacist@smartchoicedrugstore.com
To report business compliance problems please
send email to
privacy@smartchoicedrugstore.com.
Texas State Board Of Pharmacy
For a complete list of states that
smartchoicedrugstore is licensed in please
click here.”
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MY MOTHER GIVES GUIDED TOURS OF THE GOVENORS MANSION EVERY WEEK AND HAS BEEN A DRUG ADDICT FOR MANY YEARS RANGING FROM LSD IN THE 60′S TO MARIJUANA SMOKED COVERTLY DAILY FOR DECADES.I REMEMBER AS A CHILD WATCHING HER SMOKE IT IN HER PIPE AND KEEP IT IN HER EMPTY BUTTER TUBS WITH ALL HER SEEDS AND ROLLING PAPERS,METHAQUALONE WAS FREQUENTLY FOUND AROUND THE HOUSE AS WELL .SHE BEGAN USING CLASS II SCHEDULE B NARCOTICS IN THE 80′S ALONG WITH HER OUNCE A WEEK POT USE CLAIMING THEY WERE FOR HER BACK TROUBLE.I HAVE YET TO SEE ANY SIGNS OF BACK TROUBLE AND HER DOCTOR WOOULD NOT REFILL HER PRESCRIPTION DUE TO HER ADDICTION AND HER EXCESSIVE DRINKING OF WINE ALONG WITH THE DARVOCETS,SOMA,FLEXIRIL,CODEINE,ETC THAT SHE SAYS SHE NEEDS.SHE NOW HAS STARTED TO BUY THE DRUGS SHE NEEDS ON LINE ILLEGALLY WITH HER HUSBAND STEVES CREDIT CARD.SHE DOES NOT THINK SHE HAS A PROBLEM AND NORMALLY WILL DENY HOW MUCH WINE SHE CONSUMES(ALMOST THIRD OF A GALLON PER NIGHT) BECAUSE OF BEING IN A STATE OF DENIAL.STEVE HAS COME TO EVERY MEMBER OF THE FAMILY CONCERNED ABOUT HER BINGE DRINKING AND PILLS SHE TAKES WITH THE ALCOHOL.HE SHOULD BE ALSO CONCERNED WITH THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE ILLEGAL NARCOTICS IN THEIR MUSTANG HOME ALONG WITH ALL THEIR RIFLES AND GUNS LAYING AROUND.DRUGS,ALCOHOL AND SAWED OFF SHOTGUNS DONT MIX VERY WELL.I WISH SHE WOULD GET HELP BEFORE SHE KILLS HERSELF AND OR SOMEONE ELSE WHILE DRIVING.
Just because a couple of idiots can’t run their lives properly when they have access to wonderful natural substances like opiates there is no reason to prevent the rest of us from enjoying ourselves in moderation. I can’t believe how hypocritical and utterly misguided people are critisizing people for buying and selling opiates while they sip on their dangerous alcoholic beverage. Ugh.
Seems as though more controls should be in place for prescription drugs.
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Nationwide, prescription pills have become a societal force. Adults and children rely on them for a growing list of afflictions, including anxiety, depression, even shyness, for which few alternatives were available a generation ago. Nearly half of all Americans take at least one prescription drug. Meanwhile, direct-to-consumer drug marketing that touts new and expanded uses has become widespread. Adults and children alike are exposed to print, television and radio ads promising happier, more fulfilled lives. For young people, experts say, all these factors appear to have blurred the line between the benefits and dangers of the medications.
This findrxonline good information
Pain pills without prescription are widely used in all countries, especially in the U.S. where the economy people look for your home, as the situation facing this country still is not the best, with more reason, if the medicines they need are controlled as Vicodin, Hydrocodone, Tramadol, Lortab, Percocet, etc. Therefore, in findrxonline suggest that these medications for chronic pain are very effective, but they also are very controlled should be priority for people in need.
I take vicodin and oxycodone for the treatment of this disease because the doctor prescribed me after a thorough examination, seek information and findrxonline logically points out that these medicines should be tightly controlled by its high content of codeine and this makes one induces these opioids the use of these pain medications without a prescription.
For the effectiveness and suppression for the management of pain, narcotic analgesics opioids medicine is indicated for the treatment of cancer pain, pain caused by trauma, postoperative pain, neuropathic pain, the pain is still severe.
There are different opioids narcotics such as Lortab, Lorcet, Oxycontin, Percocet, opioids to help allay the pain of this disease and its side effects can be dangerous if he cannot manage it in a moderate, Caution should be exercised when taking this medicine, this findrxonline in webpage, and that this drug causes drowsiness, so you should avoid driving a car and suffered a car accident or in the worst case and even death are the most used in the world should take caution.
I believe that these opioids may be very useful to improve the life of my father but, as shown here ask the doctor to instruct me on these drugs as the muscle relaxant that is applied to my father and painkillers do not the desired effect, and we want to improve this terrible feeling that this malaise.
Prescription drugs can have many benefits, especially for the terminally ill. Over the past 20 years the amount of individuals that have used prescription drugs recreationaly or abused their prescription has significantly increased. Prescription drugs are highly addictive, coupled with the fact that prescription drugs do not have the stigma of normal drugs; this leads many to become addicted to these drugs without even knowing it. The fact that these drugs have spread to the internet is not surprising. In recent years these drugs seem to be in increasingly high demand. As stated in the article the targeting of young teenagers is a serious problem. These drugs are very easy to become addicted to. Targeting teenagers, who are much more easily influenced, coupled with the fact that these drugs alter the chemical makeup of the brain, breeds a generation of kids who are addicted to medication at a very young age. As this generation of teenagers continues to mature and eventually reach adulthood. Many people wonder how they will function in society. Is this generation that is being raised on prescription drugs going to be able to continue to advance technology, the economy and the position of the U.S. on a global scale. There are many questions that cannot be answered right now but stricter regulation of these drugs is a must. Wide-scale social action must take place to have any sort of impact on this issue. When we do address this problem we will also be confronted with the problems that this issue drags with it, issues like poverty and health care.
There are many medicines in this country that are not prescribed properly so it is good to know which ones do not require a prescription, although there are sites that you trust as findyourdrug.com gives adequate guarantees ..
I HAD COLON CANCER. DURING THE TWO YEARS OF CHEMO AND RADIATION,THESE DRUGS WERE A GODSEND. THEY WORKED AS PROMISED AND WERE CHEAP. THEIR SIDE EFFECTS ARE AT LEAST KNOWN. I WEANED MYSELF OFF OF THESE OVER A 6 WEEK PERIOD. YES,SOMETIMES I FELT LIKE I HAD ONE CUP OF COFFEE TOO MANY,BUT IT WAS NO BIG DEAL. I HAVE BEEN NARCOTIC FREE FOR 8 YEARS. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY DESIRE TO START THEM AGAIN. I GUESS I VIEW 151 RUM AS WORSE FOR YOU !