DEA Shatters International Internet Drug Ring

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Title: DEA Shatters International Internet Drug Ring

Word Count: 900

Author: Altfeder

Email: altfeder@...

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DEA Shatters International Internet Drug Ring

Copyright 2005 Altfeder

The US DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) has announced

the results of Operation “Cyber Chase”, a year long

organized crime drug enforcement task force investigation

that targeted international Internet pharmaceutical

traffickers operating in the United States, India, Asia,

Europe and the Caribbean. DEA Administrator P. Tandy

announced the success of the program, part of the ongoing

effort by the DEA to shut down “rogue” Internet pharmacies

which distribute drugs illegally in the United States.

Over the course of 48 hours, there were 20 arrests in the

U.S. and overseas. Arrests occurred in Philadelphia,

Pennsylvania, Ft. Lauderdale, Floria, Sarasota Florida,

Abilene Texas and Tyler Texas. In addition, arrests

occurred in San , Costa Rica, New Delhi, Agra, and

Bombay, India. Operation “Cyber Chase” targeted major

pharmaceutical drug traffickers who allegedly shipped

Schedule II-V pharmaceutical controlled substances

including amphetamines, narcotics and anabolic steroids

directly to buyers of all ages without the medical

examination by a physician required by U.S. law. The drug

traffickers used more than 200 websites to illegally

distribute these substances.

DEA Administrator Tandy; Burns Deputy Director for

State and Local Affairs, White House Office of National

Drug Control Policy (ONDCP); Lampkin, Section Chief,

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Financial Crimes

Section; Deputy Assistant Director of Investigations of

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Kilcoyne; Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs,

Food and Drug Administration, M. ; 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. The

investigation was joined by the agencies listed above.

DEA Administrator 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.”

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. "

" 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 J. , Assistant Secretary, Immigration

and Customs Enforcement.

“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 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.”

" 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 , 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 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.”

The combined agency initiative underscores the importance

for consumers to scrutinize online pharmacy sites

carefully. Avoid sites which offer narcotics,

ampthetamines, anabolic steroids and other drugs of abuse.

Avoid online pharmacies located outside the United States.

The only legal online pharmacies in the U.S. are sites

which either require a prescription from your physician or

which have a licensed U.S. physician write your

prescription. In addition, the pharmacy which fills orders

must be a licensed U.S. pharmacy offering only FDA approved

medication.

About the Author:

Altfeder is owner of

http://www.deepdiscountpharmacy.net and

http://www.onlinepharmacyzone.com . Both are legal U.S.

online pharmacies. He has written a series of articles

related to medicine, health, and pharmacology.