Criminal Defense Lawyers

How does law enforcement investigate prescription fraud?

Introduction

Prescription fraud is a big problem these days. Lots of people are doing it to get drugs they shouldn’t have. The police and investigators have to work hard to catch the criminals and stop prescription fraud. This article will explain how they do it.

Prescription fraud happens when someone gets prescription drugs in an illegal way. They might forge or change a real prescription. Or they might get multiple prescriptions from different doctors, which is called doctor shopping. Some people even call in fake prescriptions over the phone.

Whatever way it happens, prescription fraud is illegal. The police want to stop it. This article will look at how law enforcement investigates prescription fraud cases and catches the criminals.

Identifying Potential Cases of Prescription Fraud

The first challenge for law enforcement is realizing prescription fraud may be happening in their area. There are some red flags they can watch out for:

• Lots of people getting mixed prescriptions for painkillers, tranquilizers, opioids, etc. This suggests doctor shopping.
• Certain doctors prescribing way more of certain drugs than normal.
• Pharmacists noticing odd or suspicious prescriptions.
• Tips from confidential informants about possible prescription fraud.

When law enforcement sees these warning signs, they start to dig deeper. They use prescription monitoring programs to look for patterns. For example, they can check if someone is filling scripts at multiple pharmacies. Or getting dangerous drug combinations from different doctors.

Investigators also watch for dishonest behavior by doctors and pharmacists. Some may be involved in illegal prescribing for extra money. When law enforcement spots potential corruption, they investigate further.

Undercover Operations

After identifying targets, investigators may go undercover. They pretend to be patients trying to illegally get prescription drugs.

Undercover officers visit shady doctors and pharmacies. They claim to have pain and ask for opioid prescriptions. Or they alter legitimate prescriptions to try getting more pills. Going undercover helps build solid cases against corrupt medical professionals.

Police also do undercover work to catch people selling their prescription drugs illegally. Officers pose as buyers and arrange drug deals. They make buys on the black market to identify and arrest prescription drug dealers.

Surveillance

Physical and electronic surveillance helps track prescription fraud suspects. Investigators follow people visiting multiple doctors and pharmacies. They document doctor shopping trips and watch for hand-to-hand drug deals.

Investigators also monitor phone calls and texts for evidence of illegal prescribing and drug sales. They track financial records too. Large cash deposits can suggest someone is profiting from prescription drug trafficking.

Interviews and Interrogations

Questioning suspects produces leads and information. Investigators interview shady doctors about their prescribing habits. They ask pharmacists how often certain patients fill scripts. These talks reveal useful facts about suspected prescription rings.

Interrogating arrested suspects also gives details about their crimes. Investigators question prescription fraudsters about their methods and contacts. This helps identify other corrupted doctors, pharmacists, and dealers involved.

Informants

Flippping criminals to inform against their partners is effective too. Busted prescription drug traffickers often cooperate to get lighter sentences. They provide inside information about illegal prescribing operations.

Pharmacists and doctors arrested for prescription fraud sometimes turn informant too. They give up details on other corrupted professionals in the industry. Informants help law enforcement unravel big illegal prescription drug networks.

Prescription Monitoring Programs

Checking prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) databases is another critical technique. PDMPs log all controlled substance prescriptions filled in a state. Investigators look for patients getting excessive scripts and dangerous combinations.

They also find pill mill doctors who prescribe huge amounts of opioids and other abused drugs. PDMPs provide solid documentary evidence for building fraud cases and stopping over-prescribers.

Pharmacy and Medical Board Records

Examining records from state pharmacy and medical boards aids investigations too. These records reveal improper prescribing and dispensing practices. They help identify doctors and pharmacists operating pill mills or diverting drugs.

Disciplinary and complaint records about particular providers give investigators background information. This evidence helps prove corrupt or negligent behavior in prescription fraud cases.

Search Warrants and Subpoenas

Executing search warrants is a direct way to obtain evidence. Investigators search the offices and homes of shady doctors and pharmacists. They seize patient files, prescription pads, computers, and other records.

Subpoenas also produce useful documents. Investigators get patient treatment histories and pharmacy dispensing logs. They subpoena bank and financial records to follow the money trail. These records help document the full scope of prescription schemes.

Patient Interviews

Interviewing patients gives insights about illegal prescribing. Investigators ask patients about their doctor visits. They find out if doctors performed real exams or just handed out drug scripts.

This helps show certain physicians are running pill mills. Patient testimony proves they prescribed recklessly or for no medical purpose. Their statements provide evidence of fraud and malpractice.

Undercover Drug Buys

Undercover buys help catch street dealers too. Officers pose as customers to purchase illegal prescription drugs. They build cases against traffickers selling their medication instead of taking it.

Police document these undercover buys with audio and video recording. This evidence leads to search warrants uncovering more drugs and assets. Undercover buys put dealers out of business and disrupt illegal distribution.

Controlled Deliveries

After seizing illegal prescription shipments, investigators sometimes do controlled deliveries. They let the packages get delivered under close watch. This helps identify involved suspects when they take possession of the drugs.

Investigators also do controlled buys with seized medication. They sell the pills to suspected dealers for evidence to make arrests. Controlled deliveries and buys help track down prescription traffickers.

Prescription Forgery Techniques

Examining forged prescriptions also produces leads. Handwriting analysis and lab tests reveal printing methods. This shows where suspects get their forged prescription pads. Or which printers and inks they use to make counterfeits.

Tracing these materials helps identify prescription forgery rings. Forensic analysis connects different forged scripts to the same criminal groups. This leads to additional suspects to investigate.

Obtaining Surveillance Footage

Collecting security camera footage helps document crimes. Investigators get pharmacy surveillance videos of suspicious customers. The tapes show doctor shoppers getting multiple scripts filled.

Investigators also contact stores near pill mills for their footage. Cameras capture patients entering and leaving offices. This visual evidence proves illegal prescribing is happening.

Covert Cameras and Tracking

Secret cameras provide intelligence too. Investigators install hidden cameras outside pill mill clinics. They photograph license plates of visiting patients. This identifies people filling multiple scripts at corrupt prescribers.

GPS vehicle trackers also monitor suspect movements. Tracking shows if patients visit multiple pill mills and pharmacies across town or in different states.

Trash Searches

Dumpster diving collects useful evidence against pill mills. Investigators search their trash for prescription pads, patient records, and drug packaging. Discarded paperwork reveals illegal prescribing and dispensing activity.

Police also search dealers’ trash for evidence. They find payment records, ledgers, customer lists, and drug paraphernalia. Trash search evidence helps build cases against traffickers.

Prescription Take-Back Programs

Prescription drug take-back programs offer intelligence too. Investigators examine returned medication for clues about illegal distribution. Pill bottles with scraped-off labels suggest organized trafficking.

Identifiable bottles lead to patients interviewed about their prescriptions. Take-backs remove drugs from the street while generating investigative leads.

Pharmacy and Doctor Audits

Auditing pharmacies and physicians helps uncover fraud. Investigators thoroughly examine their records for excessive or inappropriate prescribing and dispensing.

They look for dangerous drug combinations, patients from far away, and other red flags. Audits build documentation to discipline or criminally charge corrupt professionals.

Prescription Monitoring Programs

Prescription monitoring programs (PMPs) are crucial for investigating fraud. PMPs create databases of controlled substance prescriptions filled in a state. Law enforcement analyzes this data to uncover improper prescribing and use.

Investigators spot patients getting multiple scripts from various doctors, known as “doctor shopping.” The system also identifies pill mill physicians over-prescribing opioids and other abused medications.

By flagging suspicious patterns, PMPs direct law enforcement to problem patients, doctors, and pharmacies. The detailed prescription records provide concrete evidence for building criminal and disciplinary cases.

Sting Operations

Police stings help catch corrupt players too. Investigators set up fake pill mill clinics and pharmacies. They use undercover officers as doctors and pharmacists.

Then they monitor which real doctors send patients to the undercover clinics. And which pharmacists fill the fake pill mill scripts. Stings reveal shady professionals willing to facilitate illegal distribution.

Prescription Drug Monitoring Task Forces

Some states have special prescription drug monitoring task forces. These multi-agency teams coordinate efforts against prescription fraud and abuse.

Task forces analyze PMP data to identify high-risk patients and providers. They conduct joint investigations of pill mills and trafficking rings. Coordinated enforcement by these groups helps shut down illegal prescription drug networks.

Prosecuting Offenders

Thorough investigations produce evidence to prosecute offenders. Prosecutors charge corrupt doctors and pharmacists with criminal acts like drug trafficking, fraud, bribery, and racketeering.

They also build cases against prescription forgers, street dealers, and organized distribution rings. Convicting these offenders through the justice system removes criminals and deters future violations.

Administrative Penalties

There are also administrative sanctions outside the courts. Medical and pharmacy boards suspend or revoke licenses of professionals who illegally prescribe. Insurance companies stop reimbursing pill mill doctors and pharmacies.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issues fines and withdraws controlled substance licenses from offenders. These administrative actions are another avenue for accountability.

Conclusion

As we’ve seen, law enforcement has many techniques for investigating prescription fraud. They use surveillance, undercover operations, data analysis, and good old-fashioned police work to identify offenders.

New technologies like prescription monitoring programs also help by tracking patterns regionally. And multi-agency task forces allow collaborative enforcement efforts.

While prescription fraud remains an issue, the commitment of law enforcement and regulators is making progress. Their diligent efforts are disrupting illegal distribution networks and stopping prescription drug diversion. This improves public health and safety in our communities.