Texas Pharma Company Loses Tens of Millions of Opiate Doses, Says DEA

HOUSTON, Texas — Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized 27 trailer loads of opiates from a Woodfield Pharma distribution center. Investigators believe the company lost tens of millions of opiate doses over the past three years.

“We are taking custody of product that has a high likelihood of diversion and we are going to safely secure it in another location,” Erik Smith, Associate Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Houston Division told Fox 26 Houston’s Greg Groogan in an exclusive report. The Fox 26 team was on the scene of what is described as the largest narcotics seizure in Fort Bend County’s history.

Groogan described the definition of “diversion” as the re-routing of highly addictive, highly dangerous opiates into the black market for illegal sale.

The civil seizure of the massive quantities of narcotics took place at the warehouse of Woodfield Pharma, also known as WDSrx. The Boca Raton, Florida, company is a contract pharmaceutical manufacturer and distributor established more than 30 years ago.

ASAC Smith told Groogan, “This is really the foundation of the opioid crisis in the United States. In an illicit market, Tramadol is used as a foundation for pills that are laced with Fentanyl, pressed and sold on the streets as counterfeit Oxycodone.”

Prior to the seizure on Wednesday, DEA investigators found evidence of “large, suspicious, duplicate orders, on a monthly, sometimes weekly basis,” Fox 26 reported. They also found lax security at the warehouse including “cameras that failed to function.”

ASAC Tony Hubbard added, “We see these pills ending up on college campuses cramming for an exam thinking it’s Adderall or some other type of substance and they take it and they die.”

Hubbard told Fox 26 that they believe much of the inventory Woodfield can’t account for has been siphoned off and diverted into the black market where deadly drug overdoses are at the highest level in U.S. history.

“What we are dealing with today is where we cross that line, that threshold from legitimate medical practice to illicit use that only fuels addiction and death,” ASAC Smith concluded.

Woodfield responded to an inquiry from Fox 26 and said, in a written statement:

Woodfield Distribution, LLC has been and continues to maintain active discussions with the DEA to address areas of concern related to governance and oversight of business operations.

The alleged violations are being taken seriously by Woodfield Distribution, LLC and every effort and attention is being made to resolve this situation in a timely and efficient manner for
our clients in the near term.

Groogan reported, “While no criminal charges have been filed that could change as the investigation continues.”