Mailed Drugs Substituted with Fakes

Law enforcement is investigating what appears to be theft and substitution of medicine mailed by a Veterans Administration pharmacy to a Petersburg, Virginia patient.

Law enforcement is investigating what appears to be theft and substitution of medicine mailed by a Veterans Administration pharmacy to a Petersburg, Virginia patient.

Marshall County, Virginia and U.S. federal law enforcement officers were alerted to drug substitution and theft by the Postal Service, who had received complaints from the veteran that medications were missing from packages sent by the Veterans Administration pharmacy, reported the Marshall County Tribune.

Special Agent Gina M. Koivula of the Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service, leads the investigation.

“They got a box [of medicine that was to be mailed] and treated the box with clue spray. It’s invisible but under [ultraviolet] light, it fluoresces,” said Detective Sam Bragg. “Apparently, they contacted the person who was to receive the package asking that he contact them when it was delivered.

When it was, “they inspected it and determined that it had been tampered with,” Bragg continued. “It was found to have been opened and there was a substitution made.”

Officers then stopped the letter carrier who delivers on the veteran’s route and examined his vehicle with ultraviolet light.

“It was determined that he had the substance on him and in his vehicle, indicating that he had … opened the package,” Bragg said. “He was glowing.”

The 17th Judicial District chancellor signed a warrant to search the letter carriers home.

Dalton reported that Special Agent Koivula led a team of six from the Inspector General’s Office, and an inspector from the Veterans Affairs Office. Also assisting the federal officers were Petersburg Police.

No arrests or charges have been made yet.