Cargo Business Newswire

Monday, July 21, 2014

FedEx indicted for shipping drugs from illegal pharmacies

Package shipping giant FedEx was indicted Thursday for allegedly shipping prescription drugs from illegal online pharmacies, according to documents filed in federal court.

FedEx. which ships 10 million packages a day, said it would plead not guilty and is innocent of the charges. The company reports it has provided assistance to federal authorities combating rogue Internet pharmacies.

"The advent of Internet pharmacies allowed the cheap and easy distribution of massive amounts of illegal prescription drugs to every corner of the United States, while allowing perpetrators to conceal their identities through the anonymity the Internet provides," said U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag. "This indictment highlights the importance of holding corporations that knowingly enable illegal activity responsible for their role in aiding criminal behavior."

The prosecution was the result of a nine-year investigation into shipments from two pharmacies between 2000 and 2010.

A conviction could mean up to $1.6 billion in fines and penalties, according to prosecutors.

"We continue to stand ready and willing to support and assist law enforcement," said spokesman Patrick Fitzgerald. "We cannot, however, do the job of law enforcement ourselves."

For more of the CNN story: money.cnn.com

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