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Opioids

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Ringleader, Gun Maker From Hudson Valley Get Years In Jail In Massive Drug, Firearm Bust Ringleader, Gun Maker From Hudson Valley Get Years In Jail In Massive Drug, Firearm Bust
Ringleader, Gun Maker From Hudson Valley Get Years In Jail In Massive Drug, Firearm Bust A Poughkeepsie man who ran a major drug and firearms trafficking operation in Dutchess County will serve more than a decade behind bars, while his top weapons supplier—who built ghost guns in his home—was sentenced to even more time, authorities announced.  New York Attorney General Letitia James revealed on Wednesday, Jan. 29, that Muayad Qader, 35, of Poughkeepsie, was sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple felonies for his role in a sprawling narcotics and illegal firearms network. His main supplier, Jason Knapp, a Dutchess County resident who built untrace…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Purdue Pharma To Pay $7.4B In Historic Opioid Settlement: How Much Will NY Get? Purdue Pharma To Pay $7.4B In Historic Opioid Settlement: How Much Will NY Get?
Purdue Pharma To Pay $7.4B In Historic Opioid Settlement: How Much Will NY Get? Purdue Pharma will pay more than $7 billion for the corporation's role in fueling the opioid epidemic that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans. The Sackler family and Purdue Pharma reached a $7.4 billion settlement with attorneys general from 15 states on Thursday, Jan. 23. The Sacklers have owned the company headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, for decades. The settlement includes $6.5 billion from the Sackler family, with $1.5 billion to be paid immediately, and nearly $900 million from Purdue Pharma. Funds will be distributed to states, local governments, and victims ov…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Walgreens Knowingly Filled Millions Of Prescriptions Lacking Legit Medical Purpose, DOJ Says Walgreens Knowingly Filled Millions Of Prescriptions Lacking Legit Medical Purpose, DOJ Says
Walgreens Knowingly Filled Millions Of Prescriptions Lacking Legit Medical Purpose, DOJ Says The Justice Department has filed a nationwide lawsuit against Walgreens, alleging the pharmacy chain filled millions of prescriptions without legitimate medical purposes, particularly involving dangerous opioid combinations, over more than a decade. Filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the civil complaint contends Walgreens violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and False Claims Act (FCA) by dispensing prescriptions despite clear red flags and seeking federal reimbursements for these drugs. “This lawsuit seeks to hold Walgreens accountable for the many…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Ex-NY Nurse May Dodge Jail After Making $1M Selling Fake Vaccine Cards, Prescriptions Ex-NY Nurse May Dodge Jail After Making $1M Selling Fake Vaccine Cards, Prescriptions
Ex-NY Nurse May Dodge Jail After Making $1M Selling Fake Vaccine Cards, Prescriptions A former pediatric nurse from Long Island could avoid jail time after confessing that she raked in over $1 million selling forged COVID-19 vaccine cards and opioid prescriptions. Julie DeVuono, age 51, of Amityville, pleaded guilty to filing forged vaccination record cards, laundering the criminal proceeds from selling the cards, and filing false prescriptions for opioids in Suffolk County Court in September 2023. According to prosecutors, DeVuono charged her customers $220 or $350, depending on the year, between June 2021 and September 2022 for entering their false vaccine information into…

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by Michael Mashburn
Business
Rite Aid Announces 20 NY Stores Slated For Closure After Declaring Bankruptcy Rite Aid Announces 20 NY Stores Slated For Closure After Declaring Bankruptcy
Rite Aid Announces 20 NY Stores Slated For Closure After Declaring Bankruptcy Rite Aid has announced specific store closures just days after the struggling pharmacy chain filed for bankruptcy. Of the 154 closures nationwide announced on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 20 are in New York, 14 of which are on Long Island. Rite Aid currently has 2,100 stores and about 45,000 employees. The Long Island stores slated for closure are: 2 Whitney Ave., Floral Park 3131 Hempstead Turnpike, Levittown 3199 Long Beach Road, Oceanside 198 West Merrick Road, Valley Stream 836 Sunrise Highway, Bay Shore 2784 Sunrise Highway, Bellmore 901 Merrick Road, Copiague 577 Larkfield Road, East Nor…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
16 Charged In Drug Trafficking Bust After Probe Launched In Hudson Valley 16 Charged In Drug Trafficking Bust After Probe Launched In Hudson Valley
16 Charged In Drug Trafficking Bust After Probe Launched In Hudson Valley Authorities announced that 16 people were indicted for allegedly trafficking drugs in multiple states. New York State Attorney General Letitia James said the individuals trafficked prescription opioids and cocaine in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. James made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon, July 14. We busted a major drug trafficking ring operating throughout New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.In our third major action in the past month, 16 individuals have been charged for their roles in flooding our communities with tens of thousands of opioid…

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by Nicole Valinote
Police & Fire
Police In Westchester Seize Eight Kilos Of Heroin Worth Millions, Arrest Two Police In Westchester Seize Eight Kilos Of Heroin Worth Millions, Arrest Two
Police In Westchester Seize Eight Kilos Of Heroin Worth Millions, Arrest Two Police seized eight kilograms of heroin worth several million dollars and arrested two suspects as part of a joint investigation with the DEA in Westchester. On Monday, Jan 14, members of the Yonkers Police Department Narcotics Unit and the DEA’s New York Drug Enforcement Task Force Group T-12 conducted a narcotics interdiction in the area of Central Park Avenue north of Palmer Road resulting in the seizure of the approximately eight kilos of alleged heroin and the arrest of a man and woman for felony drug possession. According to Yonkers Police Sgt. Deane Politopoulos, investigators were c…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
State Sues Purdue Pharma, Alleging Illegal Conduct, 'Scheme To Misrepresent Opioid Products' State Sues Purdue Pharma, Alleging Illegal Conduct, 'Scheme To Misrepresent Opioid Products'
State Sues Purdue Pharma, Alleging Illegal Conduct, 'Scheme To Misrepresent Opioid Products' A lawsuit has been filed against a prominent pharmaceutical company that allegedly misrepresented its products - including OxyContin - as being more benign than they are for decades. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced a lawsuit against Stamford-based Purdue Pharma L.P., Purdue Pharma Inc., and Purdue Fredrick Company, Inc. on Tuesday.  The company allegedly took part in a “decades-long and continuing pattern of persistent deceptive and illegal conduct, whereby Purdue's misled prescribers and patients about the risks of its opioids, including OxyConti…

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by Zak Failla
News
Chain Pharmacies Now Must Take Unused Drugs, Says Westchester Bill Chain Pharmacies Now Must Take Unused Drugs, Says Westchester Bill
Chain Pharmacies Now Must Take Unused Drugs, Says Westchester Bill Chain drug stores in Westchester County may soon face heavy fines if they fail to allow customers to drop-off unused medication if a bill recently proposed by lawmakers passes. The bill would require pharmacies with more than three locations in the county to accept unused medication, including the installation of signage denoting the locations as drop-off points and creation of a hotline and website to list sites where medication can be left. The bill was introduced by Legislator MaryJane Shimsky last year. Companies that fail to comply with the proposed law would allow for fines up to $1,0…

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by Zak Failla