Federal Bill Would Implement New Penalties for Charges Related to Drug Theft

March 17, 2011 9:52 am Topics: Diversion

A bill that would increase possible penalties in cases of pharmaceutical theft has been introduced in the United States Senate. According to one of the bill’s sponsors, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), the bill would increase possible sentences for pharmacy theft of controlled substances, as well as for involvement in the storage and resale of stolen medical and pharmaceutical products. The legislation also seeks to allow law enforcement additional tools for investigation of medical theft cases. As reported by the Associated Press, the bill seeks to bring medical theft “under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations law, which was originally developed to prosecute organized crime.”