Piła: gang sold narcotic drugs on fake prescriptions, 9 arrested
Wielkopolska Police has dismantled an organised criminal group dealing in narcotic drugs. Nine people have been arrested, including two doctors; over 1.6 million zloty in cash and assets were seized.
Gang issued thousands of fake prescriptions for opioids and marijuana – 9 arrested
Wielkopolska Police report that officers from the Economic Crime Division, working under the supervision of the District Prosecutor's Office in Poznań, have dismantled an organised criminal group that was introducing significant quantities of powerful narcotic and psychotropic drugs into circulation. The operation covered several voivodeships and resulted in the arrest of 9 people, of whom 5 are already in pretrial detention.
The investigation began following a report from a Piła resident who noticed irregularities in his account in the "mojeIKP" application last year. The system notified him that a prescription had been issued in his name – the man had no knowledge of any doctor's visit or prescribed medication. This report gave police officers a starting point to uncover the procedure on a large scale.
Two doctors – from the Wielkopolska and Mazovia voivodeships – were key members of the group. They issued prescriptions for psychotropic drugs, opioids and medicinal marijuana to people who were not their patients, were not ill and did not use such preparations. The drugs were subsequently purchased from pharmacies across the country, resold, and some sent abroad.
During the operation, police seized 1,200,000 zloty in cash in various currencies, an Audi car valued at over 200,000 zloty and gold valued at over 200,000 zloty. In addition to assets, officers seized significant quantities of narcotic and psychotropic drugs, thousands of blister packs of tablets prepared for illegal sale, and several thousand illegally issued prescriptions.
Most of those arrested have been charged with participation in an organised criminal group, introducing significant quantities of narcotic and psychotropic substances into circulation, and illegal acquisition, disposal and export of drugs abroad. They face sentences of up to 12 years imprisonment.
The case remains ongoing and further arrests are not ruled out. As emphasized by wielkopolska.policja.gov.pl, the investigation might never have come to light had it not been for the vigilance of the affected Piła resident and the application he used linked to his online patient account.
Source: Google News PL — Crime (pl)