Prescription drug racket discovered in Palma Nova

THE Guardia Civil has arrested eight people in Palma Nova who they have accused of crimes against public health, falsification of public documents, and theft. The group has been accused of stealing and forging doctor’s prescriptions. The prescriptions were then taken to over a hundred pharmacies around the island, and then once the medications had been acquired they were sold on the black market.

‘Operation Apothecary’ had been underway since last November when during a routine police control, a vehicle was found to have a large amount of prescriptions and medications in it.

This discovery instigated an investigation which uncovered an island wide network which had been operating for several years.

The Guardia Civil have discovered over 1,200 stolen prescriptions with a value of €14,000, and a further 1000 prescriptions who’s estimated value could amount to a total €25,000.

They also found 1,400 tablets and 550 prescriptions that had yet to be taken to pharmacies, the police think that the value would have been another €40’000.