News Coverage

The Partnership for Safe Medicines has been publishing information about the counterfeit drug problem around the world for more than a decade. With experts leading the organization and a committed and passionate set of writers and editors, our content is more in-depth than many other sources, which simply copy links to the news from other websites.

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Rhode Island Man Was The Organizer For An International Fentanyl Pill Ring

July 26, 2018

Newly released court documents show the role that Steven Barros Pinto played in an international drug ring that made and sold fake fentanyl pills across the United States, including in North Dakota, Oregon, North Carolina, Florida, Colorado, Maryland, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Georgia. The DOJ believes that the counterfeit pills made by this ring with fentanyl and other illegal ingredients caused multiple deaths or serious injuries in North Carolina, New Jersey, and Oregon…

Fake Online Pharmacy Owner Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake Medicines

July 24, 2018

The U.S. Department of Justice announced that Kelly Luanne Schaible pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of wire fraud and one count of introduction of misbranded medical devices into interstate commerce. Schaible operated numerous websites that sold $2.3 million in non FDA-approved and misbranded Botox and Juvederm…

Foreign Hosted Online Pharmacy Sold Counterfeit Pills Made with Fentanyl Analogues to Americans

July 23, 2018

In a first case of its kind, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted two people from New Jersey for operating multiple fake online pharmacies that shipped some customers counterfeit pills made with fentanyl. The pills that Evelin Bracy and Jorge Rodriguez Lopez sold killed one of their customers in Boise, Idaho…

Mother And Son In New Jersey Indicted For Selling Counterfeit Fentanyl Pills

July 20, 2018

The U.S. Department of Justice announced indictments against a New Jersey mother and son for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Candace and Tyler Gottlieb both sold counterfeit pain pills that contained both fentanyl and heroin to a confidential human source…

Partnership for Safe Medicines Statement on FDA Working Group on Drug Importation

July 19, 2018

Washington (July 19, 2018) – Shabbir Imber Safdar, executive director of the Partnership for Safe Medicines, released the following statement regarding today’s announcement by the Department of Health and Human Services to create a drug importation working group at FDA: “We are deeply concerned about today’s announcement, particularly given the deaths of Americans in at…

Texas Woman Admits Herbal Weight Loss Pills Contained A Banned Ingredient

July 19, 2018

The U.S. Department of Justice announced another guilty plea from the second co-owner of a dietary supplement company based out of Corpus Christi, Texas. Vanessa Gonzales admitted to purchasing pills produced in China that contained undeclared or banned pharmaceutical ingredients…

Comparison of temperature listing on legitimate and counterfeit Epogen labels

Drug Importation, Counterfeit Medications and the Pharmacist’s Liability: A Case Study and Legal Precedent

July 18, 2018

For the last 15 years, the FDA and HHS have opposed drug importation for safety reasons, but there is another question that is often overlooked: If a pharmacy inadvertently distributes a counterfeit drug it legally purchased from a foreign wholesaler, can the pharmacist be held liable? A 2004 lawsuit, Fagan v. AmerisourceBergen Co, raises disquieting questions.

Pennsylvania Man Sentenced To Over 17 Years For Selling Fake Fentanyl Pills

July 18, 2018

The U.S. DOJ announced that Nathan Ott of Chambersburg, PA received a 210-month prison sentence. Ott pleaded guilty to purchasing fentanyl by the kilogram online and using it to manufacture counterfeit pills which he and his six co-defendants then sold online and around town…

Counterfeit Xanax Pills Caused This Young Woman In Missouri To Overdose

July 17, 2018

Kelly Gant is a young woman in Missouri overcoming an addiction to what she thought was Xanax. After being hospitalized for an overdose, she was shocked to learn that she did not overdose on alprazolam, but on fentanyl. It was then that she began to learn more about the bags filled with hundreds of pills that her dealer sold to high school students…

Don’t Use Canadian Internet Pharmacies. Buy Your Drugs from Safe, Affordable US Licensed Pharmacies

July 13, 2018

Looking to lower your prescription drug costs? How do you make sure you are not purchasing counterfeit drugs? Learn the signs of a bad online pharmacy and how you can stay safe and get the best price on legitimate FDA-approved medicine…

Connecticut Man Charged With Distributing Counterfeit Xanax That Killed One Man

July 12, 2018

The U.S. Department of Justice announced an indictment against Kamil Golebioswki. The Connecticut man has various charges against him all stemming from his alleged illegal sale of counterfeit drugs. Golebioswki is believed to have sold the fake Xanax pill that was a contributing cause to a 29-year-old man’s death…

Young Mother Of Three Killed By Counterfeit Pill Made With Carfentanil

July 11, 2018

A mother in Indiana recently spoke about the pain of losing her 24-year-old daughter to a counterfeit oxycodone pill that was made with carfentanil. She is warning others about the dangers of fake prescription pills because, “I’m trying one person at a time. I couldn’t save mine, but I can try to help save the next one”…

Life Sentence Handed Down To Florida Doctor Who Made Deadly Counterfeit Pills With Fentanyl

July 10, 2018

The U.S. Department of Justice announced that Florida doctor Johnny C. Benjamin, Jr. received a life sentence after being convicted on five counts by a jury in April. Benjamin manufactured counterfeit pain pills, one of which killed Maggie Crowley…

Doctor Warns That The Risk Of Purchasing Counterfeit Drugs Online Is Growing

July 9, 2018

This editorial by Dr. Warren Willey was published in Idaho State Journal on July 7, 2018. Dr. Willey is an osteopathic physician who lives and works in Pocatello, Idaho. Dr. Willey says counterfeit drugs are becoming more commonplace and that people need to only purchase their medications from within the U.S.’s secure drug supply chain…

Oregon Doctor Admits To Injecting Patients With Non FDA-Approved Anti-Wrinkle Treatments

July 6, 2018

A doctor in Oregon, Brenda Roberts, pleaded guilty in federal court to purchasing non FDA-approved anti-wrinkle cosmetic injectables and using them on her clients. An affidavit in the case also states that she operated a rogue online pharmacy that distributed controlled substances to customers throughout the United States…

DEA Teaches Officers In Tampa How To Safely Process A Fentanyl-Contaminated Crime Scene

July 5, 2018

The U.S. DEA held a first-of-its-kind training session in Tampa, Florida to teach local law enforcement officers the proper techniques and steps to safely process a crime scene when fentanyl is present. An officer said that additional training sessions will be held in the future…

CSIP and LegitScript Report Shows Bad Effects of Fake Foreign Pharmacy Websites

July 3, 2018

The Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies issued a report detailing the ease at which opioids are available for sale online. The research performed by LegitScript shows how shockingly simple it is to buy opioids and substances like fentanyl on the Internet…

Counterfeit Fentanyl Pills Being Found Across Washington State

June 29, 2018

In Washington state, law enforcement agencies are finding counterfeit pills made with fentanyl all around the state. In Tri-Cities, the DEA raided several properties after concerns about the increase of fake fentanyl pills being sold on the street. Over in Seattle, it is a battle just to figure out what all these counterfeit pills are made with. Increasingly, it is heroin and fentanyl…

Texas Man Indicted for Selling Counterfeit Medicines Online

June 28, 2018

Rene Soriano of Brownsville, Texas entered a plea of not guilty in federal court to charges that he imported and sold counterfeit drugs online via websites like Facebook and Craigslist since 2013…

Maryland Man Charged With Manufacturing And Selling Fake Xanax Since 2013

June 27, 2018

A federal indictment unsealed against a Maryland man who authorities allege manufactured and sold counterfeit Xanax pills online dating back until at least November 2013. On top of prison time, the U.S. DOJ asked Ryan Farace to be required to forfeit multiple properties and tens of millions of dollars…

North Carolinians Arrested With 900 Suspected Counterfeit Fentanyl Pills

June 26, 2018

Police arrested David Worth Steele and Lisa Johnson Wolford in Mt. Airy, North Carolina after after a police search of their home turned up an array of drugs, including 900 suspected counterfeit Roxicodone pills…

Police Seize Hundreds of Thousands of Fake Pills in South Carolina and Two Presses

June 26, 2018

A major drug ring that operated in both North and South Carolina has been busted. 17 homes were searched, 14 people indicted and 11 are already in custody. Police suspect that the raid spooked someone because they dumped 7,000 fentanyl pills on a street…

Canada Drugs scandal reveals the dangers of drug importation

June 21, 2018

Canada Drugs isn’t the only online pharmacy that puts patients’ lives in serious jeopardy. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy recently examined more than 11,000 online pharmacies and found that 96 percent were operating illegally.

Opioids come from China in the U.S. mail. Here’s how to stop it.

June 18, 2018

LIKE ALL drug scourges, the fentanyl epidemic that claims so many lives every day is a matter of supply and demand. The demand, alas, is made in America. The supply, by contrast, is overwhelmingly imported, with a key source being China, where a poorly regulated cottage industry makes the stuff, takes orders over the Internet and ships it via international mail to the United States, Canada and Mexico.

House of Representatives Passes the STOP Act, Bringing U.S. One Step Closer to Closing Global Postal Loophole Fueling Opioid Epidemic

June 15, 2018

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives came together across party lines to pass the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act, introduced by Representatives Mike Bishop (R-MI) and Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), by a vote of 353-52. The bill now heads to the Senate for debate and passage.

Fentanyl Has Created A New Kind Of 21st-Century Drug Kingpin

June 15, 2018

The introduction of fentanyl and the ever-growing list of its analogues has devastated communities across America, but also created a new sort of drug kingpin. This kingpin uses their knowledge of chemistry to make minor changes to the chemical structure of the drugs that they sell in an attempt to stay one step ahead of the law…

Vermont: Still #1 in Dumb Healthcare Ideas

June 15, 2018

Earlier this month, in the midst of an opioid epidemic ravaging the state, Vermont’s legislature voted to legalize buying drugs from Canada, where government-set price controls keep prices artificially low.

Ten More Indicted For Roles In Major Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy

June 14, 2018

The U.S. Department of Justice announced indictments against ten additional defendants for their roles in a major fentanyl trafficking case, bringing the total number of people charged o 32. This conspiracy had participants in China, Canada, and the United States…

Ohio Officials Say No Pills Purchased On The Streets Can Be Considered Safe

June 13, 2018

Law enforcement agencies throughout Ohio have been finding counterfeit prescription pills that are made with illicit street drugs including fentanyl. They want to remind the public that any drug purchased on the street, including pills that look like real prescription medicines, could kill you…

Three Co-Defendants Admit To Their Roles In Massive Utah Counterfeit Pill Case

June 12, 2018

Three new admissions of guilt in court in the major counterfeit pill case that happened in Utah. Alexandrya Tonge, Sean Gygi, and Katherine Bustin all admitted to their roles in the production and distribution of counterfeit pain pill containing fentanyl and counterfeit alprazolam…

Former President of Arizona Sheriff’s Association Warns That Open Borders Make The Opioid Crisis Worse

June 8, 2018

In this editorial, which was published in The Arizona Republic on June 7, 2018, former Pinal County, AZ sheriff Paul Babeu argues that criminal smugglers from Mexico and China are a driving force in the United States’ fentanyl crisis.

Former FBI staffer argues that we cannot deter drug counterfeiters without harsher penalties

June 7, 2018

In a June 7, 2018 editorial for The Hill, Former FBI deputy assistant director and Pharmaceutical Security Institute President Thomas Kubic argues that current sentences and penalties are not strong enough to deter criminal drug importation: “It boils down to this, if an entity — be it an organization or person — opts to engage in activities involving illegal distribution chains, there should be consequences, often certain, swift, and overwhelmingly punitive.”

FDA Sent Warning Letters To Online Networks Selling Illicit Opioids To Americans

June 7, 2018

The FDA sent nine online networks that operate 53 different websites selling illicit opioids warning letters telling them they must stop illegally marketing to American citizens or face enforcement action…

Mothers of Counterfeit Drug Victims Join Law Enforcement, Pharmacy Experts to Raise Alarm Over Lethal Fentanyl Imports

June 7, 2018

Partnership for Safe Medicines Announces Creation of Fentanyl Council to Spotlight Impact on U.S. Law Enforcement, Explore Proliferation of Pill Presses

Judge Gives South Dakota Man 70 Month Prison Sentence In Fentanyl Pill Case

June 6, 2018

The DOJ recently sentenced Jacob Hubbs of South Dakota to 70-months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy in which purchased counterfeit pain pills made with fentanyl were distributed in that state and beyond…

Defendant Admits Guilt In Utah Counterfeit Drug Ring Case

June 5, 2018

Mario Noble, one of the defendants charged as a member of the Utah-based counterfeit fentanyl pill operation allegedly run by Aaron Shamo, has admitted his role in the operation in court and is looking for a plea deal…

8,000 Counterfeit Pills Made with Fentanyl Seized in Arizona

June 1, 2018

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office recently concluded an investigation that began in early 2018, ended with the arrest of Octavio Gutierrez-Hernandez and Jorge Bazan, and 8,000 counterfeit fentanyl pills taken off the streets…

Drug Importation Isn’t Safe and It Doesn’t Make Economic Sense, Says PSM President

May 31, 2018

In this May 31, 2018 editorial for The Daily Caller, pharmacoeconomic expert Dr. Marv Shepherd explains the concrete reasons why the importation of drugs from other countries as a means to lowering prices in the U.S. is both unsafe and economically unsound.

Eight Sued By City Of Los Angeles For Allegedly Selling Fake Medicines

May 31, 2018

The city of Los Angeles is continuing its fight against illegal and counterfeit medicines being sold in stores in the area. This investigation brought in over 430,000 illicit doses of fake medicines and saw three lawsuits filed against eight people…

Three Year Sentence Given To Georgia Woman For Selling Counterfeit Pain Pills

May 30, 2018

The DOJ announced that Cathine Lavina Sellers of Roswell, Georgia received a three year prison sentence after she pleaded guilty in court earlier this year to selling counterfeit pills that contained fentanyl, furanyl-fentanyl, and U-47700…

1,500 Counterfeit Fentanyl Pills Netted in Ohio Bust

May 25, 2018

The DOJ indicted three residents of Ohio after they were caught with 1,500 counterfeit oxycodone pills that were made with fentanyl. Gerald Bowerman, Emmet Nelson, and Cortney Williams had just returned from allegedly picking up a new batch of fake pills in Kentucky…

Partnership For Safe Medicines Urges Passage of the STOP Act to Increase Inspections for Dangerous Synthetic Opioids

May 24, 2018

Partnership For Safe Medicines Urges Passage of the STOP Act to Increase Inspections for Dangerous Synthetic Opioids Legislation will increase surveillance of primary smuggling route for fentanyl WASHINGTON (May 24, 2018) – The Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) today urged passage of the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention Act of 2017 (S.372), also known as…

Recent Stories Of Counterfeit Pills From Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida

May 22, 2018

Three recent stories – from Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida – show the counterfeit pain and anti-anxiety pills are still a major danger to residents along the Gulf Coast…

Counterfeit Pills Still Being Found Despite DEA Successes In Seizing Precursor Ingredients

May 18, 2018

Three news stories recently out of Arizona show that despite the DEA taking over 120,000 counterfeit fentanyl pills off the streets in 2017, police keep finding more and seizures of a precursor chemical needed to produce fentanyl are up…

Counterfeit Fentanyl Pills Harming Iowa Residents

May 17, 2018

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa issued a warning to residents about counterfeit pills made with fentanyl being sold on the streets around the state. Shortly after this announcement, the DOJ announced guilty pleas from two Waverly residents charged with selling counterfeit pills made with carfentanil and cyclopropyl fentanyl that they purchased off the Internet…

Wholesale Drug Importation From Canada Won’t Lower Prices, But Will Increase Health Risks Says Vermonter

May 16, 2018

By approving the wholesale reimportation of U.S. prescription drugs from Canada, the Vermont Legislature passed an illegal measure that will not lower drug prices. Instead, it will subject Vermonters to public health risks and new taxes to defray an inevitable federal lawsuit.

More Charges in Utah-Based Counterfeit Pills Case

May 14, 2018

An additional individual has been charged for his role in the Pharma-Master counterfeit fentanyl pill ring allegedly run by Utah-resident Aaron Shamo. Jonathan Luke Paz received four charges in federal court…

Research into Fake Online Pharmacy Prosecutions Finds Current Policies Do Little to Stop Them

May 11, 2018

A 2017 legal review conducted by Camille Guerra and Dr. Timothy K. Mackey predates the CanadaDrugs prosecution, however it clearly illustrates the challenges faced by courts in effectively prosecuting illicit online pharmacies

Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies and Partnership for Drug-Free Kids Announce New Coalition

May 11, 2018

The Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies and Partnership for Drug-Free Kids launched MedicineSafe to educate families about medicine safety.

Illegal Pill Factory in Stamford Connecticut Was Producing Thousands of Carfentanil-Laced Fake Percocet Pills

May 10, 2018

A Westover, Connecticut man is under arrest, and authorities there have uncovered a counterfeit Percocet factory in a barn that was producing enough carfentanil pills to kill half the population of Stamford

Fentanyl Pill Counterfeiters In Arkansas, California, and North Carolina Busted

May 9, 2018

Stories of counterfeit pills made with fentanyl keep coming in from across the country. PSM did a quick recap of three stories – one from Arkansas, one from North Carolina, and one from California – that we want to make sure you know about…

Thinking Of Buying Your Prescription Drugs Online? NCFTA Says You Need To Be Careful

May 8, 2018

A nonprofit group working to protect the world from cyber threats analyzed 120,000 online pharmacy domains over a ten year period. Their data showed multiple reasons that consumers need to be careful when purchasing prescription medications online…

Illicitly Manufactured Fentanyl Poisonings Doubled Nationwide Between 2015 and 2016

May 4, 2018

Drug overdose deaths increased 27.9% since 2015, and the CDC notes, “These increases primarily were driven by deaths involving synthetic opioids, for which the rate doubled from 2015 to 2016.” Synthetic opioids like illicit manufactured fentanyl are poisoning Americans in record numbers.

Jury Convicts Florida Doctor For Making Counterfeit Pills With Fentanyl

May 3, 2018

A federal jury found Dr. Johnny C. Benjamin of Vero Beach guilty on five of the seven charges against him, including manufacturing counterfeit pills with fentanyl that caused the death of a young woman in Wellington, Florida…

Tijuana Resident Sentenced For Smuggling And Selling Counterfeit And Illegal Drugs

May 2, 2018

After spending years smuggling illegal and counterfeit prescription pills into the U.S. and selling them to people in San Diego County, Alejandro Hernandez was sentenced to 30-months in federal prison for his crime…

Ohio Pharmacists Association Concerned About Fentanyl Pills Being Sold On The Streets

April 30, 2018

The state of Ohio has been hard hit by the opioid epidemic. It is one of 43 states in which PSM has documented finding counterfeit fentanyl pills and is also one of 22 states in which someone had died from taking one of these pills. Now, the executive director of the Ohio Pharmacists Association and the Ohio Attorney General have both spoken out about the dangers these fake pills pose to everyone…

Georgian Mother Warns About The Threat Of Counterfeit PIlls Made with Fentanyl

April 27, 2018

In this editorial, which appeared in the Austin American-Statesman on April 27, 2018, Georgia resident Lisa Hicks warns readers about the counterfeit prescription pills that killed her son in 2015:

“One needn’t be an addict to die from an overdose..Joe had a solid job and was studying for a degree in exercise science…One day, he pulled a muscle at the gym. He was in serious pain, so he bought what he thought were prescription painkillers from a friend. Those pills turned out to be counterfeit. And they contained a deadly amount of fentanyl. The next day, my son was gone.”

Indictment For Sellers Of Fentanyl Pills In Massachusetts

April 26, 2018

The DOJ announced that two men were indicted in federal court on drugs charges. Included in the items seized during the execution of the search warrant on November 30, 2017 were dozens of fentanyl pills…

Taking What Looks Like An Ordinary Pill Can Lead To Unimaginable Consequences

April 25, 2018

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized a total of 1,1,32 pounds of fentanyl at U.S. borders in all of fiscal 2017. In the first half of fiscal year 2018, they have already seized over 1,000 pounds of fentanyl, leaving a DEA agent in San Diego concerned about counterfeit fentanyl pills…

FL Company Ordered To Stop Selling Adulterated And Misbranded Drugs

April 24, 2018

The U.S. DOJ received a permanent injunction against MyNicNaxs, a company based in Deltona, Florida, for the sale and distribution of unapproved and misbranded new drugs. Despite receiving a warning letter in 2013, the company continued to sell dietary supplements that contained undisclosed pharmaceutical ingredients…

New Hampshire Couple Who Distributed Millions Of Misbranded Pills Headed To Jail

April 20, 2018

The DOJ announced that John and Plabpleung Hayes of New Hampshire received their prison sentences for their roles in a conspiracy that imported and sold over 2 million misbranded prescription pills from India and sold them to customers across the United States…

Safe Savings Tip: Generic Cozaar Is Over 50% Cheaper In the U.S. Than In Canada

April 19, 2018

Choosing generic drugs is the easiest and fastest way for Americans to lower their prescription drug costs without having to risk purchasing your medication from a shady online pharmacy. We did a price comparison to see where losartan, the generic version of Cozaar, is more affordable – in the U.S. or in Canada. At a brick-and-mortar pharmacy in Canada, a 30-day supply would cost $14.31, but we found the same pills at pharmacies in the U.S. for $6.60…

Drugs From Online Canadian Pharmacies Come From A Lot Of Places, Just Not Canada

April 18, 2018

Importing drugs from Canada sounds as if it would solve the issue of high prescription drug costs in the U.S., but that’s just a good soundbite. The truth is that the drugs Americans buy online “from Canada” are not actually Canadian and they have not been inspected by any regulatory authority…

FDA Wants Authority to Seize and Destroy Suspected Fake Drugs at International Mail Facilities to Catch More Illicit Fentanyl

April 18, 2018

FDA Inspectors working at the U.S.’s nine international mail facilities work hard to keep counterfeit and substandard drugs from being shipped into the country. The FDA is asking Congress to change the rules to make it easier for them to seize and destroy shipments of fake drugs…

45 People Indicted for Fentanyl Sales and Money Laundering on Behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel

April 17, 2018

The Department of Justice (DOJ) for the Southern District of Ohio has brought money-laundering and fentanyl distribution charges against 12 people in Cincinnati. Additionally, 40 people in San Diego, California have been charged, along with others in Columbus, Ohio, the Eastern District of Kentucky, the District of Kansas and the Eastern District of Washington. Among those charged in California is Jose Lopez-Albarran, who they describe as a known money-laundering agent for the Sinaloa Cartel. The DOJ alleges “he and other members of the Cartel allegedly laundered tens of millions of dollars in narcotics proceeds from the United States to Mexico between 2015 and 2018. Through the investigation in California, law enforcement discovered multiple drug-trafficking cells throughout the United States.”

Authorities Arrest Tennessee Pair With $1.3M In Counterfeit Xanax

April 16, 2018

Arrest of pair in Tennessee brings down a counterfeit pill mill that produced and shipped fake Xanax to customers across the U.S. Authorities found 58,000 fake pills and enough powder to make an additional 200,000 more while searching two properties…

Partnership for Safe Medicines Statement on Sentencing in Canada Drugs Case

April 13, 2018

The Partnership for Safe Medicines released the following press release after the official acceptance of the plea deal for Kris Thorkelson and CanadaDrugs.com…

Canadian Pharmacist Sentenced For Selling Counterfeit Botox To U.S. Doctors

April 12, 2018

The U.S. DOJ announced that Nikhil Buhecha, a Canadian pharmacist, received a 36-month sentence for owning and operating a sophisticated drug whole operation that sold counterfeit Botox to doctors all across the United States…

The Partnership for Safe Medicines Congressional Briefing, April 10, 2018

April 11, 2018

On April 10, The Partnership for Safe Medicines sponsored a congressional briefing focused on the illicit fentanyl trade and the widespread impact it is having on communities across the United States. PSM released 43 States and Counting, a update to last September’s report on fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills in the U.S. Click here to watch a video of the event.

DOJ Gets Conviction In Murfreesboro, TN Counterfeit Fentanyl Pills Case

April 11, 2018

A federal jury convicted three people for their roles in a conspiracy to manufacture and sell counterfeit Percocet pills in Murfreesboro, TN. Those pills were linked to one death and 20 poisons…

New Report Shows Widespread and Deadly Impact of Illegally-Imported Fentanyl

April 10, 2018

A new report released April 10, 2018 by The Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) illustrates the growing deadly toll that illegally-imported fentanyl is having on communities throughout the U.S. PSM’s analysis confirms reports of counterfeit medicines made with fentanyl in 43 states, with fentanyl-related deaths confirmed in 22 states. The updated findings follow a report released by PSM last September that found a presence of counterfeit fentanyl in 40 states and related deaths in 16 states.

Want to meet the original DEA agents from Netflix’s NARCOS?

April 9, 2018

This event is going to be popular – register to secure your seat. Priority will be given to registered congressional staff. Former DEA Agents Who Inspired Netflix Series “Narcos” Join Policymakers to Discuss Latest Threats Posed By Illegally-Imported Fentanyl House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rep. Greg Walden (R-Oregon), Members of Congress, Law Enforcement Experts, Industry Leaders…

Kingpin Responsible For Smuggling Mass Quantities Of Fentanyl Into NYC Charged

April 6, 2018

Charges have been filed in a New York City court against six members, including the ringleader, of a major fentanyl smuggling ring. Police say this group brought enough fentanyl into the area to make 10 million fatal doses…

Safe Saving Tip: Not Using Your Insurance To Save On Prescription Drugs

April 5, 2018

A prescription drug clawback is when the patient pays more than the cost of the drug and that extra money goes into the pockets of an insurance company and pharmacy benefits manager. This is why asking your pharmacist what the cash price would be for your prescription is one of way PSM says consumers may be able to quickly and safely lower their prescription costs…

Ohio Man Sentenced As Part of Operation “Big Oak” After Exposing Police Officer to Near-Fatal Dose of Fentanyl

April 4, 2018

An East Liverpool man, Justin Buckel, has been sentenced to six-and-a-half-years in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to drug trafficking, including assault on a police officer. In May 2017, Police Officer Chris Green was exposed to fentanyl in East Liverpool , Ohio after searching Buckel’s care after a traffic stop. Bucknel’s arrest was part of a larger Ohio fentanyl bust, in which over 100 people were arrested.

2 Chicago Residents Indicted for Importing Bulk Fentanyl Analogues from China

March 30, 2018

According to their indictment, Sanchez “Chez” Lackland and Jermol “Yak” Mixon face counts of fentanyl importation and distribution, as well as weapons charges. Their indictment also identifies the fentanyl analogue as methoxyacetyl fentanyl, and notes that the accused allegedly made repeated purchases of the drug from Chinese sources.

Sentences Handed Down To Massachusetts Pair In Counterfeit Steroid Ring

March 30, 2018

The U.S. Department of Justice announced that a Massachusetts couple who were part of a counterfeit steroid ring received their sentences. Tyler Bauman will spend 10 years in prison and Kathryn Green will spend one year and one day…

Indian Man Will Spend 33 Months In Prison For Selling Misbranded Drugs To Americans

March 28, 2018

The U.S. Department of Justice announced that 44-year-old Mumbai Ramesh Buchirajam Akkela will spend 33 months in jail for shipping thousands of misbranded pills to customers around the U.S. without requiring a valid prescription…

Confidential Informants Named And Charged In Johnny C. Benjamin Case

March 27, 2018

The two confidential informants in the case against a Vero Beach doctor who was manufacturing counterfeit oxycodone pills have been named and charged in court. Kevan Slater and Zachary Stewart each face multiple counts in recently released superseding indictment…

Postal Inspectors Intercept Package Containing 1,500 Fentanyl Pills In Ohio

March 26, 2018

Information provided by the Montgomery County RANGE Task Force in Ohio tipped off postal inspectors to a suspect thought to be purchasing narcotics online. One seized package heading to that person contained 1,500 counterfeit oxycodone pills made with fentanyl…

PSM’s Letter to Judge Expresses Concern Over Kris Thorkelson’s Pending Plea Agreement

March 23, 2018

Kris Thorkelson, the CEO of CanadaDrugs.com, has a pending plea deal to settle all charges against him. The Partnership for Safe Medicines is gravely concerned that this deal does not do enough to act as a deterrent either to Thorkelson himself or to anyone else who may be contemplating such a scheme…

DOJ Announces Charges Against Four In Counterfeit Drug Case In Puerto Rico

March 22, 2018

The U.S. Department of Justice announced a 28-count indictment against four people in Puerto Rico for allegedly selling counterfeit and misbranded drugs on various online marketplaces for years…

FDA Warns Influenza Sufferers To Be Wary of Counterfeit and Unapproved Flu Treatments

March 21, 2018

The FDA lays out exactly what kind of claims fraudulent flu treatments make. They also point out that there are no FDA-approved over-the-counter (OTC) flu treatments available, though there are OTC treatments that can help reduce fever or muscle aches.

Man Charged After Marine Found Dead In Barracks From Counterfeit Fentanyl Pill

March 21, 2018

A man in California sold counterfeit pills containing fentanyl to the Marine corporal who died after taking them. Kyle Shephard has been charged with murder. A complaint filed in the court says he sold approximately 2,000 of the counterfeit pills…

New Report Shows 30 Percent Average Increase In ER Visits Because Of Opioid Overdoses

March 19, 2018

New data released by the CDC shows that on average there was a 30% increase in opioid-related overdose emergency room visits across the country. The Midwest was hit particularly hard with visits increasing there by 70%…

Louisiana Veterinarian Sent to Prison for Providing Misbranded Veterinary Drugs to Racehorses

March 16, 2018

Kyle James Hebert, a horse veterinarian from Lake Charles, Louisiana has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for illegally treating racehorses with a banned and misbranded performance enhancing drug.

Counterfeit Pills Made With Carfentanil Poison Three In Northfield, MN

March 15, 2018

Police in Northfield, Minnesota warn of counterfeit oxycodone pills made with carfentanil in their city. These pills already caused at least three non-fatal poisonings…

Ohio Man Charged After Police Turn Up Industrial Pill Press And 11 Lbs Of Fentanyl In His Home

March 14, 2018

Ohio resident Alexander Henize faces 16 counts after a search of the home he shared with his girlfriend and their 2-year-old daughter turned up an industrial pill press and 11 pounds of fentanyl…

FDA Commissioner Wants Additional Inspectors To Intercept Opioid Shipments

March 13, 2018

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb recently toured the International Mail Facility at JFK Airport with members of Congress so they could see firsthand what the FDA is attempting to sort through to keep dangerous opioids out of the country and why they need a staffing increase…

Mexican Authorities Arrest Man Attempting to Bring Enough Fentanyl into California to Kill 15 Million People

March 12, 2018

The Mexican Federal Police recently stopped a vehicle enroute to California carrying over 100 pounds of fentanyl.

Op-ed: To cut drug prices, start with the facts

March 9, 2018

Other countries, even advanced countries like Canada, don’t provide the same level of protection. From April 2016 to March 2017, Canadian agents discovered more than 5,500 packages of counterfeit drugs in their midst. Loosening importation restrictions would expose American patients to potentially deadly counterfeit pills.

Prison Sentence for Arizona Man Arrested Carrying 2,000 Fake Pills Made with Fentanyl

March 8, 2018

A Phoenix area man has been sentenced to 3 years in prison for transporting thousands of fentanyl-laced pills into Arizona.

The Growing Nexus Between Narcos and Counterfeit Medicines

March 7, 2018

Netflix DEA NARCOS agents Javier Pena (DEA Special Agent (Ret.) and Steve Murphy (DEA Special Agent (Ret.) describe the growing nexus between illicit drug traffickers and counterfeit medicines.

Case Updates From Two Major Fentanyl Drug Rings Out Of Texas and Utah

March 7, 2018

Short updates on two major fentanyl counterfeit pill ring cases. One case in Texas looks to have one of the fourteen defendants taking a plea while the second case in Utah sees a jury trial date set for Aaron Shamo, the alleged drug ring leader that shipped counterfeit pills containing fentanyl all across the U.S…

Safe Savings Tip – Ask What The Cash Price For Your Prescription Would Be

March 5, 2018

Most people in the U.S. live in states where their pharmacists are barred from letting them know that they could save money by paying cash instead of their insurance’s co-payment. Federal and state legislators are looking to change that…

DOJ Announces News Cases In PA And OH Against Couples Selling Counterfeit Drugs and Fentanyl

March 2, 2018

U.S. Department of Justice announced two new cases. One is against a PA couple for manufacturing and selling counterfeit prescription pills made with heroin. The second case is against an OH couple charged with running a drug ring that imported and sold fentanyl and carfentanil in the Akron area…

Man Gets Two Years For Importing And Distributing Fake Drugs From Pakistan

March 1, 2018

Massachusetts man sentenced to two years in prison for his role in a scheme to import and distribute misbranded and counterfeit drugs. Harry Aliengena acted as a middleman, received shipments of fake drugs, and sent them onto customer across the U.S…

Counterfeit Xanax Is A Growing Problem Across The U.S.

February 28, 2018

Articles about counterfeit Xanax are coming in from all across the United States. PSM has taken a quick look at four recent stories out of North Carolina, Massachusetts, Texas, and California…

Counterfeit Drug Manufacturing Trio from Florida Sentenced

February 27, 2018

The trio of residents from Chipley, Florida that had plead guilty to counterfeit drug and illicit steroid charges have been sentenced, the Department of Justice (DOJ) reports.

GBI Warns Metro Atlanta has Most Counterfeit Pills Made with Fentanyl in State

February 26, 2018

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation issued a public safety alert on February 11, 2018 about the high volume of counterfeit pills made with fentanyl and other illicit opioids that have been found in Metro Atlanta. Since January 2015, there have been 450 reports of counterfeit pills. The most commonly counterfeited pills were Xanax and oxycodone that contained substances such as fentanyl, furanyl fentanyl, and U-47700.