Grosse Pointe Pharmacist Convicted Of Selling Pills To Drug Dealers

GROSSE POINTE, MI — A Grosse Pointe pharmacist was found guilty on nearly two dozen counts of selling thousands of pills to drug dealers by forging prescriptions, according to federal officials.

Hasna Bashir Iwas, 62, of New Baltimore, was convicted on 26 charges related to the unlawful distribution of Schedule II, III, IV and V prescription drug-controlled substances. She was placed in jail as she awaits sentencing, which is scheduled for Feb. 20, 2024.

Iwas owned and operated the former Beacon Pointe Pharmacy in Grosse Pointe Park from 2013-2018 and "engaged in several interrelated criminal schemes," federal officials said.

Iwas regularly filled fake prescriptions for controlled substances that were given to her by one or two individuals, federal officials said.

Iwas forged 1,291 prescriptions in the names of over 50 different "patients," most of whom that were dead, in prison, or were actually never in the pharmacy at all, federal officials said.

Video evidence showed Iwas filling the fake prescriptions without the required labels, which she shredded while filling the bottles, federal officials said.

The label contains the pharmacy name, patient’s name, drug strength, quantity and directions for use. Without the labels, the pills could not be traced back to her pharmacy when they were sold on the street.

Moreover, an audit of the Beacon Pointe Pharmacy showed massive shortages of controlled substances that left the pharmacy without any prescriptions at all, federal officials said.

Over 70,000 dosage units of Oxycodone 30mg and over 36,000 dosage units of Xanax 2mg were purchased, delivered to the pharmacy, and not dispensed under any prescription, federal officials said.

Overall, Iwas received more than $640,000 in cash in exchange for filling the forged prescriptions, federal officials said.

"Medical professionals, and others engaged in the delivery of healthcare services, who exploit opioid addiction and facilitate the diversion of highly addictive medications for financial gain, undermine critical efforts to suppress and eliminate the opioid crisis throughout the country," Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General Mario M. Pinto said.