More than 50 charged in W.Va. pill crackdown
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. (AP) – Officials involved in a two-year joint law enforcement effort fight against southern West Virginia’s illegal prescription drug trade say the initiative is making a difference.
U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin and leadership from area law enforcement community announced additional indictments last week as part of the Bluefield Pill Initiative.
Bluefield Daily Telegraph reports that Goodwin says recent indictments bring the number of drug defendants charged to more than 50.
Goodwin said that the illegal prescription drug trade represents a new challenge. He said law enforcement is constantly working to build cases against pill pushers and others involved.
He said suppliers travel to several cities to visit doctors, get several prescriptions for powerful pain-relievers, fill them at several pharmacies and return with thousands of pills to sell for a large profit.