A large-scale prescription drug ring running from the United States into Mexico and back resulted in 15 arrests, including an Inglewood doctor, the Associated Press reports.
Prescription drug crimes in Los Angeles and nationwide have spiked lately as the high cost of medical care coupled with the tendency of people to abuse these drugs has resulted in more and more legal issues. But not everyone charged in these cases is guilty and therefore an experienced Los Angeles Drug Defense Attorney must be consulted in order to defend against these allegations.
In this case, U.S. border inspectors made arrests of the doctor and 14 others who now face charges of conspiracy to smuggle prescription drugs from California to Mexico, the wire service is reporting.
The operation allegedly sent opiates to Tijuana pharmacies in exchange for bundles of cash that were brought back into the country. American addicts then bought the over-the-counter pills in Mexico and took them home.
Law enforcement speculates that it was easier for the pill smugglers to deal large batches of pills at Mexican pharmacies -- which typically have loose regulations -- than to deal them on the streets in America. Officials believe smugglers would buy pills for $2 each in the United States, sell them in Mexico for $3.50 and the same pill would then be sold to an American addict for $6.
The 71-year-old doctor who has been arrested allegedly wrote prescriptions for 920,000 hydrocodone pills. Other than writing prescriptions, the article doesn't specify how the doctor was connected to the alleged smuggling operation.
Smugglers would allegedly strap pills to engine compartments and to their bodies while crossing into Mexico, usually at the Tijuana-San Diego San Ysidro crossing. Some Americans were arrested when they were caught with tens of thousands of dollars coming back into the country.
In California, drug crimes can vary by the amount, where the drugs are being sold and whether or not a person is manufacturing the drugs, among other factors. The penalties can range from a misdemeanor, which can only lead to a few months in jail all the way to major felony charges, which are punishable by years in prison.
With marijuana legal for medical use in California, authorities have spent a lot of time focusing on the enforcement of those who grow and distribute that drug without a prescription. But law enforcement has also attempted to crack down on harder drugs, such as cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin and hardcore prescription drugs, such as the ones that were allegedly a part of this operation.
In any drug case, possession is a key element the state must prove. And if drugs are found in a common area, such as a house or apartment or vehicle, everyone starts pointing fingers. This leads to reasonable doubt, which can lead to a not guilty verdict.
I defendant facing certain drug charges may be eligible to enroll in the Los Angeles Deferred Entry of Judgement program. This drug diversion program allows for people to avoid jail or prison time and as an alternative get drug treatment, counseling, drug testing and other measures to help them improve their lives. An experienced Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney can lobby on behalf of the defendant to get this option rather than incarceration and a mark on your criminal record.
If you need to speak with a Los Angeles defense attorney, contact the Law Offices of Stephen G. Rodriguez and Associates at 213-223-2173 for a free consultation.
More Blog Entries:
Los Angeles Man Charged With Having 60 Pounds of Marijuana: August 16, 2011
Additional Resources:
APNewsBreak: 15 arrested in prescription drug case, by Elliot Spagat, Associated Press
