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DEA Cracks Illegal Prescription Drug Operation in Milwaukee

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says 51 people were involved in creating phony prescriptions and then selling the drugs.

Over the past two days, officers have arrested 26 of those individuals in the Milwaukee area. Some will face state charges and others, federal offenses. Nearly all are Milwaukee residents.

According to the DEA, the investigation took one year and involved local law enforcement agencies.

They accuse the people charged of writing fake prescriptions - mostly for the painkiller oxycodone, and then giving people either cash or pills to use their insurance cards to get the prescriptions filled at local pharmacies.