110 Pounds of Fentanyl Seized at Port of Philadelphia

September 6, 2018

U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, during a routine inspection, discovered 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of illicit fentanyl powder that had been hidden in a shipment of iron oxide from China. According to CBP, a narcotics detector dog alerted agents to the presence of the drugs inside barrels of iron oxide that had arrived at the facility in late June.

Read More

Importation Has Some Huge Risks

September 5, 2018

There are certainly things we can learn from other countries’ healthcare successes, but importation is not the right approach.

Read More

Suspected Fentanyl Pill Bunker Discovered in Georgia along with Weapons

September 5, 2018

WSB-TV Atlanta shared a story about Federal agents in Roswell conducting an investigation into the distribution of fentanyl pills disguised as prescription medication. During their warranted search of a property in North Hall County, investigators discovered a cache of guns, a large amount of counterfeit “Xanax” pills, and raw materials for pill making more.

Read More

Jury Trial Pushed Back Again In Case Against Alleged Counterfeit Pill Ring Leader

September 5, 2018

The trial of Aaron Shamo, the Utah man accused of running a major fentanyl pill manufacturing and distribution ring, has been pushed back until 2019. Almost two years ago, prosecutors were investigating 28 deaths potentially tied to this case, and now they have indicated they intend to file a superseding indictment which will include a “death-count” change…

Read More

Discussing the Difficulty of the Import Problem

September 4, 2018

This distressing situation shows that deadly fentanyl analogues are killing Americans who are using laced non-opioid prescriptions.

Read More

Grand Junction Man Arrested For Manufacturing Fake Xanax Pills In His Apartment

August 31, 2018

Richard Henry of Grand Junction, Colorado was arrested after law enforcement officers from multiple agencies found a pill press, hundreds each of fake Xanax and “small blue pills” made with fentanyl, and assortment of other powders in the closet of his apartment. This story is one of many recently in the news pointing to the fact that counterfeit fentanyl pills are a growing problem in western Colorado…

Read More

Arizona Pair Arrested with 8,000 Fentanyl Pills Indicted by Grand Jury

August 30, 2018

An Arizona grand jury has handed down indictments for the two men arrested in May. Prosecutors allege that Octavio Gutierrez-Hernandez and Jorge Bazan were trafficking more than 2,000 fentanyl pills pressed with an “M30” imprint, which is what is typically stamped on oxycodone pills.

Read More

Canadian Law Enforcement Veteran Urges Cross-Border Cooperation to Fight Fentanyl and Other Counterfeit Medicines

August 29, 2018

In this August 21, 2018 editorial for the Havre Daily News Canada Border Services Agency and the Ontario Provincial Police veteran Don Bell talks about the need for Canada and the United States to work together to combat counterfeit drugs.

Read More

Fake Cancer Drugs Were Just Some Of The Fake Pills Drug Organization Said They Could Make

August 29, 2018

The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed a 43-count indictment against Fujing Zheng and Guanghua Zheng of Shanghai, China for operating a company that illegally imported drugs – including fentanyl – into the U.S. When asked by undercover law enforcement if the Zhengs could manufacture counterfeit pills, including oxycodone, Adderall, and two cancer medicines – Tarceva and Afinitor – each time the Zhengs said they could…

Read More

National Sheriffs’ Association Sends Letter of Concern About Importation of Prescription Drugs

August 29, 2018

On August 8, 2018, the National Sheriffs’ Association wrote the President to oppose prescription drug importation. Importing drugs from other countries, they say, “jeopardizes law enforcement’s ability to protect the public health and endangers the safety of law enforcement and other first responders.”

Read More