United States Drug Enforcement Administration

CHICAGO — The former owner of a Chicago medical clinic was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison for selling opioid prescriptions to patients whom he knew lacked a legitimate medical need for the drugs. MOHAMMED SHARIFF, who owned Midtown Medical Center in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood, conspired...

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Stanford Wylie, age 51, of Palisades Park, NJ, was sentenced before United States District Court Judge Robert L. Miller upon his plea of guilty to possession with the intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine, announced United States Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Division Special...

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Andrew L. Fitch, 32 years old, of Angola, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Drug Enforcement Administration Chicago Division Special Agent in Charge Brian M. McKnight and...

LEMON GROVE, Calif. – Yesterday the United States Drug Enforcement Administration executed a federal search warrant at a warehouse located at 7648 Lemon Avenue, Lemon Grove, Calif., and uncovered a sophisticated hash oil refinery laboratory operation. Large quantities of ethanol were removed from the property by San Diego County HAZMAT...

CHICAGO – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control identified the Argentina-based Goldpharma drug trafficking and money laundering organization as a significant foreign narcotics trafficker pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. OFAC also designated eight Argentine nationals for their role in the Goldpharma...

SAN DIEGO – Indictments were unsealed today in San Diego federal court charging 43 members of a methamphetamine distribution network tied to the Sinaloa Cartel with federal drug trafficking and money laundering offenses. During the coordinated takedown that began early this morning, agents executed over a dozen search warrants. Agents...

WARNER SPRINGS, Calif. – Yesterday the DEA’s Narcotic Task Force executed a state search warrant at 30570 Chihuahua Valley Road, Warner Springs, Calif. Agents uncovered a sophisticated butane hash oil extraction lab inside three trailers on the property. In addition to extracting hash oil, the lab operators were also refining...

EL CAJON, Calif. – Yesterday, DEA’s Narcotic Task Force (NTF) responded to a hash oil extraction laboratory explosion in the city of El Cajon. This explosion occurred less than two weeks after the significant hash oil extraction laboratory explosion in the Mira Mesa area of San Diego, which sent three...

HAMMOND, Ind. – Bruce Williams, 48 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge James T. Moody after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch. Williams was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by...

CHICAGO – Motivated community members within Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois deposited an impressive 109,484 pounds of unwanted or expired prescription drugs for safe disposal on Saturday, April 27, at the DEA's 17th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. DEA launched its take back initiative when both the Environmental Protection Agency...