TERRIFYING

Mexico Pharmacists Caught Dealing Prescriptions Laced With Fentanyl and Meth

A survey of pharmacies in northwestern Mexico found that the dangerous drugs were pressed into counterfeit pills and sold under the guise of legitimate labels.

A slew of fentanyl, meth and heroin-laced prescription pills were discovered on the shelves of several tourist-oriented pharmacies in northwest Mexico, according to a UCLA research study and subsequent Los Angeles Times investigation. A survey of pills from Tijuana to the resort town San José del Cabo found that the highly addictive and lethal substances were pressed into counterfeit pills and sold under the guise of legitimate labels such as Percocet, Xanax and the popular ADHD medication Adderall. Many of the farmacias would sell the pills individually, retailing for as low as $15 to $35 per pill, the newspaper reported. And purchases came easy—customers were able to access the highly potent drugs over the counter at roughly two-thirds of the surveyed locations, according to UCLA’s research, as opposed to the regimented system just over the border that often requires multiple consultations and a formal prescription. It is unclear how many deaths may be tied to the practice.