DEA Issues Warning About Illegal Online Pharmacies Amid Rise in Counterfeit Pills

‘These website operators are going to great lengths to make the websites look like legitimate online pharmacies,’ the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said.

Heroin and fentanyl pressed into pill form. Courtesy of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a public safety alert warning Americans about an increase in illegal online pharmacies selling and shipping counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Unsuspecting customers are purchasing what they believe to be legitimate pharmaceutical drugs such as Oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax, only to receive dangerous counterfeit medications, the agency said in the alert.