4,600 Drug Sites Busted

[Linda Buquet]

I always warn affiliates about promoting online pharmacy or RX sites, it's just not worth the risks. 18 people were arrested for allegedly selling drugs illegally, including the ringleaders of more than 4,600 rogue Internet pharmacy websites. Agents shut down all the sites the suspects controlled in the year long investigation dubbed "Operation CYBERx."

I have to assume that for this many sites to be involved, some type of affiliate marketing was involved, although affiliates were not mentioned in any of the reports I read. The risk to affiliates is not only coming under government scrutiny or potential arrest, but also the certainty of not being paid when these illegal companies go under. Affiliates - JUST SAY NO to online drug sales!

DEA Press Release - DEA Disables Major Pharmaceutical Internet Scheme
http://www.dea.gov/pubs/pressrel/pr092105.html

Original source for this story was found at WebMasterWorld. http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum10/9881.htm

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/state/12711351.htm

The Star-Telegram.com reports: North Texas residents... were arrested Wednesday in what federal prosecutors described as the largest-ever crackdown on U.S.-based Internet drug trafficking... According to the indictment, the drugs included hydrocodone, phentermine hydrochloride (part of Fen-Phen), alprazolam (Xanax) and promethazine cough syrup with codeine. Online prescription drug orders are typically verified by a doctor before being filled. In this scheme, prosecutors say, doctors and pharmacies pushed orders through without verification; some filled orders without prescriptions...Investigators wouldn't say if any doctors or pharmacists are facing arrest, although Tandy said 20 doctors and 22 pharmacies have had their registration to distribute certain drugs suspended by the DEA pending investigation.

The good news is that these people were pushing tons of RX drug SPAM, so hopefully our inboxes will be a little cleaner after this bust.