Pharmacy's funds seized in alleged drug scheme

By Robert Baird
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, June 17, 2004

Federal authorities have seized nearly $162,000 in checks and money orders from a West End pharmacy, contending the owner illegally sold painkillers and other drugs over the Internet.
Anthony Grejda, owner of TDI Pharmacy, 452 S. Main St., is accused of running an illegal drug distribution scheme and laundering money to disguise the proceeds, according to a forfeiture petition filed Wednesday in federal court.

The Internet sales "generated hundreds of thousands of dollars of unlawful drug proceeds through the sale of controlled substances to individuals who did not have a legitimate medical prescription," the government said.

No criminal charges have been filed.

From May 2003 until a search of the pharmacy last month by agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Grejda and TDI dispensed over the Internet controlled substances, including a generic form of the painkiller Vicodin, without a legitimate prescription, the government contends.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary McKeen Houghton alleged that Grejda and TDI conspired with Internet companies, Web sites and doctors to dispense the drugs throughout the country, knowing that a normal doctor-patient relationship didn't exist.

Attempts to reach Grejda yesterday were unsuccessful. The pharmacy's Web site carried this message: "Sorry, we are currently unable to process orders. Please check back for update."