The shipping company UPS has agreed to pay $40 million to end a federal criminal investigation connected to deliveries it made for illicit for illicit online pharmacies, the Associated Press reported. The U.S. Department of Justice said the fine amount is the money UPS collected from suspect online pharmacies, and that the company will not be charged with any crimes.
"We believe we have an obligation and responsibility to help curb the sale and shipment of drugs sold through illegal Internet pharmacies," UPS spokesman Bill Tanner said. "UPS will pay a $40 million penalty and has agreed to enhance its compliance policies with respect to Internet pharmacy shippers," he added.
FedEx Corp. also remains a target in the investigation, as per a March 21 quarterly report filed with the Security and Exchange Commission. They asserted they had committed no wrongdoing and said it would not accept a plea bargain.
In its regulatory filing, FedEx insisted that their employees "have acted in good faith at all times. We do not believe that we have engaged in any illegal activities and will vigorously defend ourselves in any action that may result from the investigation." The company said it received subpoenas from a federal grand jury in San Francisco in 2008 and 2009.
The San Francisco U.S. Attorney's office has played a central role in a nationwide crackdown on online pharmacies. The investigation of the two of America's biggest parcel services stems from a global campaign to curb illicit online pharmacies, which was launched in 2005. In the past eight years ,there have been dozens of arrests, as investigators continue to broaden the probe beyond their operators.
Chris Napoli was sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to forfeit $24 million his illicit pharmacy Safescripts Online earned between 2004 and 2006. Two other men were sentenced to prison along with Napoli.
Seven others have been convicted of operating illegal pharmacies in San Francisco federal court last year.
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