Al Davila

Monday, Nov. 6, 1978 | 6 a.m.

Nevada State Narcotic Division agents and special investigators from Las Vegas City Attorney’s office yesterday raided two weight control clinics and seized numerous pills and assorted narcotic paraphernalia.

The city attorney’s office is studying what charges to bring against Basil Jones and Betty Blessing, owners of the Medical Weight Clinic, 829 S. 6th St. and Gene and Hank Cartwright, owners of Las Vegas Weight Reduction Center, 2031 Paradise Rd.

The Cartwright brothers, who are reputed to be one of the major distributors of pornographic films in the nation and are under federal indictment for it, were allegedly involved in giving special serum injections extracted from pregnant women to persons seeking weight reductions.

According to a State Narcotic Division spokesman, both clinics obtained amphetamines, needles, syringes and serum from Dr. T. J. Brumfield, 901 Rancho Rd., who also was the medical supervisor of the clinics.

The doctor could also face charges pending the city attorney’s investigation, according to the State Narcotic spokesman.

“A woman would come in to the clinic and get a physical examination only once from the doctor,” the spokesman explained. He added that afterwards the patient would be given injections and diet pills by unlicensed personnel.

Agents seized 6,000 hypodermic needles and syringes and 1,000 amphetamine pills from the Las Vegas Weight Reduction Center and a large quantity of narcotic paraphernalia from the Medical Weight Clinic.

The owners could face charges of operating the clinic without state and federal licenses to dispense controlled substances.

A similar raid, undisclosed until yesterday, was reported to have happened about 10 days ago against Valley Medical Weight Clinic, 2950 S. Maryland Parkway.

Owners Samuel Salerno of Las Vegas and Michael O’Halloran of North Hollywood, Calif., as well as Dr. Charles Wilbank, 617 Hoover, could face criminal charges pending the city attorney’s investigation.

An agent from the State Narcotic Division obtained drugs and narcotic paraphernalia at Valley Medical Weight Clinic without a prescription or a medical examination before the raid.

About 10,000 assorted ills and a large quantity of syringes nd needles were confiscated from Valley Medical Weight Clinic by authorities.

“These types of businesses have been proliferating throughout Southern Californaia and now Las Vegas over the past few years,” the spokesman for the State Narcotic Division noted.

He added that the businesses were quite profitable and women were the most frequent victims.

“There will be more raids in this area,” the spokesman warned. “I suggest that in the future anyone needing help consult the local medical society before signing for the program.”