Washington, Feb 5 (NationPress) US drug enforcement officials have dismantled over 200 illegal online pharmacy websites associated with a criminal network based in India, which has been connected to several tragic overdoses in the nation.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced on Wednesday that these websites were linked to a transnational criminal organization that has allegedly contributed to at least six fatal and four non-fatal overdoses. This group has been under scrutiny since 2022.

Beginning January 27, DEA field offices nationwide initiated coordinated operations resulting in the arrest of four individuals, according to a media release.

Authorities also issued five Immediate Suspension Orders and one Order to Show Cause against DEA registrants. These administrative measures aim to safeguard public health and safety, as stated by officials.

Federal authorities revealed that they shut down over 200 online pharmacies accused of processing hundreds of thousands of orders for diverted pharmaceuticals and counterfeit pills, all sold without valid prescriptions.

According to US law, pharmacies are required to dispense controlled substances only with a legitimate prescription issued by a licensed medical practitioner.

Investigators indicated that the operators of these websites disregarded these regulations, illegally distributing and shipping controlled drugs to customers throughout the United States. The DEA asserted that this operation violated the Controlled Substances Act and undermined protections intended to ensure patient safety.

Throughout the investigation, agents identified thousands of customers who purchased drugs from these illegal sites. The DEA has dispatched over 20,000 letters to the public seeking assistance in the ongoing case.

“This case highlights how foreign traffickers exploit our healthcare system, hide behind the internet, and collaborate with individuals in the United States to distribute dangerous drugs under the pretense of legitimate commerce,” stated DEA Administrator Terrance Cole.

“Illegal online pharmacies introduce poison into American communities,” Cole emphasized. “They market counterfeit and unapproved pills without regard for who suffers or dies.”

The DEA is collaborating with law enforcement partners from the Government of India to identify and dismantle criminal organizations involved in illegal pharmaceutical trafficking.

The agency announced that joint operations will persist in targeting illicit drug distributors at their sources.

According to the DEA, operators often partnered with drug traffickers to fulfill online orders using counterfeit pills or diverted pharmaceuticals. Many of these counterfeit pills contained fentanyl or methamphetamine.

Consuming these substances can result in severe side effects, ineffective treatments, and even death.