'Prescription Drug Ring' Ran Sham Pharmacy Out Of Framingham Apartment, Feds Say

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Four people have been charged with what the U.S. Attorney's Office in Massachusetts has described as operating a sham pharmacy operation out of a Framingham apartment.

Four undocumented Brazilian nationals currently residing in Framingham have been arrested for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to import pharmaceutical-grade controlled substances and other misbranded drugs from Brazil and distribute them throughout the greater Framingham area.

Douglas Reis de Souza, 40; Dekny Marcos de Carvaleho Reis, 33; Dekmara de Carvalho Reis, 34; and Wandiscleia Ferreira de Souza Guimaraes, 41, all of Framingham, have been charged with one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.

They were arrested yesterday morning and, following initial appearances in federal court in Boston, were detained pending a hearing scheduled for March 13.

According to the charging documents, Reis de Souza held himself out to be a legitimate pharmacist to the Portuguese-speaking community in the greater Framingham area, doing business as “Droga Reis” (Portuguese for “Drug King”). In support of his operation, Reis de Souza allegedly distributed the following business card, which has been translated from Portuguese:

Douglas Reis, Pharmacist

[REDACTED PHONE NUMBER]

Remedies from Brazil

Service 24 H

Call me on Whats[App] and I can help you

Don’t miss your work day

Pharmacist with over 22 years of experience

Indication of medicines for adult and pediatric use

Contraceptive pills and injectables

Injectable cocktail to treat muscular and orthopedic problems

Perforation of ear cells.

Reis de Souza allegedly imported pharmaceutical-grade drugs, including controlled substances from various locations in Brazil, and then re-sold them to customers. It is alleged that at least 24 packages sent from Brazil to Reis de Souza’s drug trafficking organization were seized during the investigation which began in October 2023 – all of which were found to contain illegally imported pharmaceutical-grade controlled substances.

Reis de Souza is said to have employed Carvaleho Reis, Dekmara de Carvalho Reis and Wandiscleia Ferreira de Souza Guimaraes to process, fill and deliver orders for controlled substances and other prescription drugs that customers paid Reis de Souza for.

In total, over the course of the investigation, Reis de Souza’s drug trafficking organization allegedly distributed 154 tablets of Codeine; 60 tablets of Tramadol; 280 tablets of Clonazepam; and 450 tablets of Morphine via controlled purchases or the mail, officials said.

On Tuesday, search warrants were executed at an apartment allegedly used by Reis de Souza and his co-conspirators as a black-market doctor’s office. There, law enforcement allegedly observed an examination and consultation area, used syringes ostensibly used to inject “patients,” as well as large quantities of controlled substances and non-controlled prescription and misbranded drugs.

At no time did Reis de Souza possess any license authorizing him to dispense these drugs, officials said. It is alleged that Reis de Souza collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits as a result of the drug trafficking scheme.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million.

The defendants are subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed.

Those with more information are asked to contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.