Mexico shuts down 23 pharmacies following U.S. warning of counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills.

Mexico shuts down 23 pharmacies following U.S. warning of counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills.

Mexico Shuts Down Pharmacies Selling Irregular Pills in Tourist Areas

In a surprising turn of events, Mexico has recently shut down 23 pharmacies in popular tourist destinations including Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. The closures followed a four-day raid initiated by Mexican investigators to investigate irregularities in pill sales. Last spring, the United States had warned against the dangerous sale of counterfeit drugs containing substances like fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine to foreigners and tourists.

The Mexican Navy Department disclosed that, out of the 55 drug stores inspected during the operation, 23 were found to be selling drugs in an irregular manner. Such discoveries raise concerns and pose risks to the visitors and tourists who unknowingly purchase these counterfeit medications. A study conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in January shed light on the prevalence of this issue, revealing that 68% of the 40 pharmacies surveyed in four Northern Mexican cities sold drugs like oxycodone, Xanax, or Adderall. Additionally, around 27% of the inspected pharmacies were found to be selling fake pills. These counterfeit medications were often passed off as legitimate controlled substances such as oxycodone, Percocet, and Adderall.

During the raids, the Mexican Navy confiscated outdated medications, medications without proper supplier records, as well as blank and unsigned prescription forms. Although the presence of fentanyl-laced pills has not been officially confirmed, the Mexican Navy plans to test the medications for the presence of this powerful synthetic opioid. Fentanyl, responsible for about 70,000 deaths annually in the United States, is produced by Mexican cartels using chemicals smuggled in from China.

“These counterfeit pills represent a serious overdose risk to buyers who think they are getting a known quantity of a weaker drug,” warns Chelsea Shover, an assistant professor-in-residence of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. It is crucial to spread awareness about this issue to prevent further harm to unsuspecting individuals.

Sources: – Associated Press

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