The American authorities yesterday charged 10 people in connection with the illegal sale of nearly 70 million opioid pills, Reuters reported, citing a statement from the US Department of Justice.
The department said it was the largest-ever law enforcement crackdown targeting distributors of opioids and other commonly abused prescription narcotics. Their value on the black market amounts to about 1.3 billion dollars.
The individuals charged are related to the pharmaceutical industry, including sales representatives and brokers, the US Department of Justice said in a statement.