NCJ Number
94391
Date Published
1984
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The illegal distribution of drugs manufactured legitimately is gaining increased scrutiny by law enforcement. Special enforcement action is required for cases of corrupt medical practitioners who generate fraudulent prescriptions.
Abstract
Legally manufactured pharmeceuticals diverted onto the streets account for more than twice as many drug-related casualties each year than such contraband products as heroin and cocaine. The successful detection and elimination of this broad-based source of illegal drugs depends almost entirely on the local investigators and patrol officers. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 is the Federal legislation upon which Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and FBI drug enforcement activities are based. Its purpose is to create a closed system of distribution in which each drug product must be accounted for and reported at certain transfers of possession. Physicians and pharmacists who receive and dispense these drugs must record and report these activities. The Controlled Substances Act divides drugs and other substances into five schedules, defined in terms of the substance's potential for abuse. Drug diversion tactics fall under five general headings: wholesale level diversions, illegal sales by medical practitioners, theft, fraud, and forgeries. Officers should be able to identify diverted pharmaceuticals without a laboratory test. Legitimately manufactured pharmeceuticals have codings, colors, stripes, and scores which will lead the officer to the drug in the standard reference materials. A discussion guide and a brief quiz are included.