Internet Pharmacies Closed by DEA's "Operation Cyber Chase"

Following a year-long investigation, the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) recently announced the break-up of several Internet rings involved in the online sale of drugs. The investigative operation, "Operation Cyber Chase", had targeted Internet pharmacies selling drugs such as narcotics, anabolic steroids and amphetamines without prescriptions or doctors' referrals. One such operation allegedly exported over 2.5 million doses of drugs per month from India to over 200 Internet pharmacies which then repackaged and sold these drugs to over 100,000 customers worldwide, the majority being in the US. At least 20 people in eight US cities and in at least two other countries were arrested as a result of Operation Cyber Chase. It is not yet clear whether this drug bust could signal a new US approach to shutting down Internet pharmacies, one in which the battleground will shift from the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration to that of the DEA. For more information, visit: http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/pressrel/pr042005.html Summary by: Sue Diaz