DEA SEARCHES 2 PHARMACIES IN BAY AREA

TAMPA - Drug Enforcement Administration agents on Thursday searched
two pharmacies in Lakeland and Tampa owned by the same individuals.

The action was taken against Medipharm-RX on North Clark Avenue in
Tampa and Medcenter on South Carter Road in Lakeland.

DEA spokeswoman Jeannette Moran said the agency suspended the
certificates of registration for the pharmacies, which sold
prescription drugs over the Internet. The certificates allow
businesses to purchase and sell controlled substances.

A message left at Medipharm on Thursday afternoon was not returned.
The telephone at Medcenter appeared to be out of order.

Moran said agents removed all controlled substances from the sites,
but the businesses are permitted to remain open as long as they don't
sell controlled substances.

As of Thursday, Moran said, agents had removed 635,000 pills from
Medipharm. The majority of those pills were hydrocodone, also known
as Vicodin, and alprazolam, also known as Xanax.

"The reason they're doing this today is because the DEA determined
that for the pharmacy to continue with the registration at this time
constitutes an imminent danger to public health and safety," Moran
said. She wouldn't elaborate.

She said the action was administrative and not criminal.