Nevada has New Drug Diversion

December 12, 2008

Prescription Drug Diversion: The new wave of drug abuse

Updated: Dec 10, 2008 06:08 PM PST

" Authorities say a new wave of drug dealing has hit Nevada hard. It's

called " prescription drug diversion, " the illegal sale of

prescription drugs.

Currently, there are fears that a team of people have been writing

fake prescriptions in a local doctor's name. News 3's Marie Mortera

explains how he is now fighting to keep his reputation clean and help

keep people safe.

A prescription pad is a guarded piece of paper for a good reason. The

consequences are dangerous and even deadly if prescriptions get into

the wrong hands and are misused. Dr. Ng says that's exactly

what happened after his car was broken into last July.

" My car had my briefcase, and in the briefcase (was my) prescription

pad, " he explains.

Also stolen from his car was the stamp to show a medication's

approval. Dr. Ng called Metro, but never saw the two items again. But

in October, someone else did: another pharmacist.

" There's something fishy about this prescription. " It's not your

handwriting and you didn't spell it right and (he was) making fun of

me. "

But this was nothing to laugh about. Someone was writing phony

prescriptions, complete with Dr. Ng's stamp, and then filling them at

local pharmacies around the city. Dr. Ng showed News 3 copies of the

prescriptions, which included pain killers and anti-anxiety

medications - even one asking for 160 pills.

What the thieves didn't know, however, was that this paper trail

would lead to two arrests.

One arrest was made with the help of another pharmacist who suspected

something was amiss. For this doctor-turned-detective, it was just

part of fighting a growing drug problem and way to help save lives.

" (What) I don't want to hear is people getting addicted and my

name's on the bottle. I had nothing to do with it because I didn't

see (the) patient. "

The alleged thieves face felony charges of fraud, forgery, burglary

and drug trafficking, depending upon the amount of prescription drugs

sold. "

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