County's War on Prescription Drugs Yields 27 Arrests

Over the weekend, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office arrested 27 people on various charges related to illegally obtaining prescription drugs, including 18 people in Pinellas Park, four people in Clearwater, three in Crystal Beach and two in Palm Harbor. 

"In our on-going effort to address the prescription drug abuse epidemic, deputies this week focused on eight North Pinellas and 10 South Pinellas 'doctors' offices and pharmacies that are known as 'pill mills'," Sheriff Bob Gualtieri wrote.

The sheriff’s office did not name the specific locations of the arrests because the investigation is ongoing.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office works with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to arrest dealers, close pill mills and stop prescription fraud.

The effort to curb the illegal sales of prescription drugs starts with surveillance. Often residents let the sheriff's office know about suspicious or criminal activity they have observed, sheriff's office spokeswoman Cecilia Barreda said.

"These 'doctors' offices are not really doctors, they are drug dealers who are hurting our community, affecting public safety and causing Pinellas County to lead the state of Florida in prescription drug overdose deaths. We will continue with intense enforcement and investigative efforts to make a difference and reverse this trend," Gualteri wrote.

This weekend's arrests included charges of possession of oxycodone, crack, marijuana and cocaine. Some of the arrests were on charges of violation of probation and traffic violations, Barreda said.

There are seven deaths per day in Florida related to prescription drugs, Barreda said. According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Pinellas and Pasco counties led the state in oxycodone, xanax, methadone and hydrocodone deaths in 2010.

The sheriff’s office runs the annual Operation Medicine Cabinet, a program that gives the public a way to safely to dispose of unused prescription medicine. To report the illegal sale or distribution of prescription drugs, call the sheriff’s office at 877-792-2873.