Five individuals accused of being part of a burglary ring are now facing federal charges for a string of break-ins at rural pharmacies in western Iowa and western Nebraska in 2022 and 2023, according to authorities who made the announcement on Thursday.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) field division in Omaha, Nebraska, has stated that these five individuals are part of a broader criminal conspiracy being prosecuted by federal authorities in Arkansas. The DEA revealed that a total of 42 individuals from Houston, Texas, have been charged with breaking into over 200 pharmacies in 31 states and making off with around $12 million worth of controlled substances.
The illicitly obtained drugs, comprising hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, Adderall, and Xanax, were transported to Houston, where they were unlawfully sold, as per the DEA.
Steven T. Bell, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Omaha Division, remarked in a statement, “These five individuals mistakenly believed that by targeting rural communities, they could commit crimes and go unnoticed and unperturbed.”
The DEA’s statement indicated that there were a total of 900 reported pharmacy burglaries across the country in 2023, resulting in an estimated loss of 3.8 million doses of controlled substances. Within the Omaha division of the agency, which encompasses Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, there have been 34 reported pharmacy break-ins dating back to 2022. Nebraska accounted for the highest number with 17 break-ins, while Iowa had 11 incidents.
