Deputies Arrest 55 Suspects on Prescription Drug Charges

An increase in drug overdoses prompted the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office to launch "Operation Pain Reliever" late last year.

Today, their efforts paid off.

The agency netted 55 arrests since Wednesday of 88 warrants they served for suspects in Hillsborough County who they say are suspected of purchasing prescription drugs illegally from local pain clinics.

Charges range from drug trafficking to delivery and doctor shopping, and the suspects range in age from 19 to 73.

"We're not so much targeting pain clinics and actual doctors, but those illegally obtaining pills and selling them, or doctor shopping," said Cristal Bermudez, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's office.

The investigation, which involved undercover buys and sales, began in November. It was prompted by the rise in drug overdoses over the past few years, Bermudez said, noting two to five deaths per week in Hillsborough County from drug overdoses.

Within three months, the sheriff's office had identified 88 suspects, Bermudez said.

She said the agency wants to change the ease at which people can obtain illegal drugs.

"We are working to stiffen the requirements you need to have a pain clinic to make it more difficult to receive these prescriptions," she said. "We've been working with the board of county commissioners to try to make it more difficult for the prescriptions to even get out there."

Bermudez said the agency is actively investigating doctors and the 33 suspects who have warrants out for their arrest but have yet to be caught.

"This isn't the end," she said.