Store investigated for illegally selling prescription drugs

06:54 AM EDT on Thursday, September 18, 2008

By GLENN COUNTS / NewsChannel 36
E-mail Glenn: GCounts@WCNC.com




Store raided for selling prescription drugs

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A store in east Charlotte is being investigating for allegedly selling prescription drugs illegally.

The name of the store is La Centro Americana # 2. It was open for business on Wednesday.

The store sells the usual items you would expect to find in a Latino grocery store, and according to Alcohol Law Enforcement agents, some items you should only find in a licensed pharmacy.

According to court documents, investigators sent an informant into the store on Aug. 5 and Sept. 5. Agents say the informant was able to purchase 10 Ampicillin pills. The cost was $20 both times.

The next day investigators raided the grocery store and they removed numerous prescription drugs, including antibiotics like Ampicillin and Bactrin, and the injectable birth control drug Depo Provera.

Agents won't talk about their investigation, but an expert with UNC's School of Pharmacy told NewsChannel 36 these are prescription drugs for a reason and people who take them need to be under a doctor's care. If someone is misusing antibiotics it increases the chance that if they do get sick the antibiotic won't work.

So far, no arrests have been made in the case.

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