usenet

OxyContin Network Believed Extensive
Federal Probe Nets 41 Convictions

By Josh White
Washington Post Staff Writer
The Washington Post
Wednesday, June 25, 2003; Page A06

Federal prosecutors yesterday outlined for the first time
the scope of their investigation into the illegal
distribution of OxyContin, writing in court papers that
they have already snared 41 dealers in an ongoing probe
of doctors, pharmacists and patients who formed a
conspiracy to sell the drugs in a black market.

In court documents associated with pleas and sentencing
hearings in U.S. District Court in Alexandria,
prosecutors said that "Operation Cotton Candy" has been
focusing on 60 to 80 people in Northern Virginia, most
notably two pain doctors who are "major targets" of the
investigation. A federal organized crime and drug
enforcement task force has been working for more than two
years to trace the network of dealers, who prosecutors
claim have received prescriptions for "obscene" amounts
of the painkiller drug from the doctors.

their separate offices in McLean and Centreville. The
doctors have previously been identified in court papers
as William E. Hurwitz and Joseph K. Statkus. Both have
acknowledged that they are targets of the investigation
but have denied any wrongdoing.

Hurwitz and Statkus would not comment yesterday.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gene Rossi wrote in the papers
that the doctors were prescribing pills after
"perfunctory exams" and would "rubber stamp and
oftentimes encourage the patients' insatiable demand for
Oxy and other pills."

The patients would then fill their prescriptions at
pharmacies and sell the pills or hand them over to
"recruiters and organizers" for later sale at huge
markups. Prosecutors said the pills were often taken to
southwest Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky, where some
conspirators have likened the market among rural addicts
to "selling water in the desert," the court papers say.

OxyContin is a form of synthetic morphine that has been
called a miracle drug for cancer patients and others with
intractable pain. A long-acting, FDA-approved time-
release pill, it enables some bedridden patients to
return to their normal lives. But its potency has made it
alluring to abusers, who crush it and snort it or inject
it for a heroin-like high.

The documents released yesterday show that the federal
grand jury is still hearing testimony and is examining
about five patients "who died from receiving and taking
obscene amounts of Oxy and other pills." . . .
*[...]
This is only an excerpt -- read the complete news at:

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1556/3958960.html

Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti

Panchaang for 27 Jyeshtth 5104, Thursday, June 26, 2003:

Shubhanu Nama Samvatsare Dakshinaya Nartana Ritau
Mithun Mase Krishna Pakshe Guru Vasara Yuktayam
Krittik-Rohini Nakshatr Shool Yog
Gar-Vanij Karan Trayodashi Yam Tithau

Hindu Holocaust Museum
http://www.mantra.com/holocaust

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http://www.hindu.org
http://www.hindunet.org

The truth about Islam and Muslims
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate

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spodosaurus

"Dr." Jai Maharaj is actually Jay/Johnny Stevens from Hawaii. He has no
higher education qualifications and is not a doctor of anything. This
claim to being a doctor is just one of his many lies that he uses to try
and prey on people who are in pain in order to get at what little money
they have. He is a spammer of long standing on usenet (newsgroups). He
is also an anti-Christian and anti-Muslim religious bigot.

awouk

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