The arrests started before Halloween. Officers searched Wyoming County for 25 suspects. They were armed with 76 felony warrants and a map of a prescription drug distribution network. They got 17 suspects the first day and arrests continued into November.
The mathematics works out this way: 25 suspects selling just a pill a day each would be 750 doses of prescription narcotics. Of course, the numbers are probably much, much higher.
The charges include, not just selling the drugs, but also conspiracy. This is because prescription drugs will move from a patient to a dealer and then the addict. The dealer-patient combination makes it a conspiracy. And when many people are all supplying drugs, the whole network gets tapped with the higher charge.
Since prescription drugs are usually diverted from legal use, somewhere along the line there is a patient getting a prescription from a doctor. There were no clinics or doctors arrested in this sweep, so the picture is one where patients are selling their pills. These may be “real” patients with legitimate medical conditions who would rather have the cash, or they may be people faking their way into getting drugs they can then sell.
All of this is homegrown. No smugglers or Mexican drug lords are involved for this to happen. All it takes is a prescription. And the money is appealing. A single pill can sell for as much as $40. That’s quite a bit of dough if you get them thirty at a time.
The next calculation will come after the guilty verdicts or plea bargains arrive. Then, the calculation will be about fines and either time in jail or probation.
Many of those arrested may be largely good citizens. So far, nothing other than prescription drugs have been confiscated – no marijuana, weapons or other drugs. But the message needs to go out that law enforcement is paying attention and will make arrests. This will, hopefully, keep the honest citizens honest and help them avoid the temptation to make a few bucks selling their prescriptions.
