Ongoing Problem of Illegal Prescription Drug Trafficking
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Posted: 8:27 PM Dec 3, 2008
Ongoing Problem of Illegal Prescription Drug Trafficking
How do police stop, or at least slow down, the flow of illegal prescription drugs between Florida and the Tri-State? A trial in eastern Kentucky reveals that it's all about arresting the drug runners, as well as the doctors responsible.
Reporter: Randy Yohe
Email Address: randy.yohe@wsaz.com
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GREENUP, Ky. (WSAZ) -- How do police stop, or at least slow down, the flow of illegal prescription drugs between Florida and the Tri-State?

A trial in eastern Kentucky reveals that it's all about arresting the drug runners, as well as the doctors responsible.

Greenup County Sheriff Keith Cooper said Nikki Blair and Tessa Potts, both from the Portsmouth, Ohio, area, sold him about $5,000 worth of OxyContin and Xanax pills in an undercover drug buy. Blair and Potts, however, were not the only two in the car.

Greenup County Sheriff's Deputy Jason Bryant testified that a 2-year-old child also was in the back seat -- Potts' grandson. With a toddler asleep in a car seat, a drug buy with at least one party armed could have easily turned violent, according to Cooper.

"If they started shooting, we could not return fire because of the child," he said.

Also seized from Blair were numerous boarding passes for local flights to and from Florida. Cooper said the drug trafficking suspect is one of hundreds still flying pills back from the Miami area

At the federal courthouse in Ashland, about a dozen local members of what police call an organized ring of drug smugglers are getting set for sentencing and most likely prison.

The admitted drug ring leader also awaiting federal sentencing is Roger Browne, a Florida physician.

To slow down the Florida drug running, keep busting the bevy of Florida pill-pushing doctors, according to Cooper. He hopes the two suspects will lead him to some bigger Florida drug connection dealers -- maybe even a doctor or two.


Latest Comments

Posted by: concerned citizen on Apr 21, 2009 at 04:38 AM

Something must be done to save our children from the drug pushers. Greed is an ugly word an the doctors who are profiting need to be lynched. What has happened to the justice system. Put them in jail
Posted by: lisa on Jan 16, 2009 at 03:05 AM

IF you don't know the true story then keep ur thoughts to ur self right and also about the gun deal i really don't see that happening either so people give it a break.
Posted by: Wrangler on Jan 11, 2009 at 02:12 PM

On the flip side of this I know that many people must travel out of state (especially Ky) to get proper pain management because doctors have been intimidated by the DEA and authorities not to prescribe opiates to people unless they are dying of cancer. Apparently Florida is a hotbed for prescription weilding doctors, and almost all online pharmacies operate out of that state as well. What's going to happen here is that eventually it will be made a crime to get a controlled substance from out of state, and when this happens...those who have a legitimate need will be out in the cold again with no treatment options. It takes only a few in comparison to ruin things for everyone else. Personally I couldn't imagine driving or flying a thousand miles to get a prescription of anything! There has to be something to ensure legitimate patients will be treated as neccessary with these medications. Just my thoughts. My wife has suffered for 10 years because of the war on drugs.
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