Investigators sort through evidence Thursday at Metro Police headquarters after a raid at El Arco Iris pharmacy on Lake Mead Boulevard the day before yielded a cache of drugs with a street value of more than $500,000.
Published Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009 | 9:28 a.m.
Updated Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009 | 1:39 p.m.
Sandra Guiterrez
Sun Coverage
Pharmacy raid
A Metro Police raid of an underground pharmacy Wednesday night yielded drugs with a street value of more than $500,000, police said at a news conference today.
The pharmaceutical drugs, which were mostly from Mexico, were being sold to patients who didn’t have prescriptions. The business wasn’t licensed to serve as a pharmacy and did not have a pharmacist present, police said.
The Nevada Board of Pharmacy has no record of a license for the business.
One employee, Sandra Guiterrez, was arrested after police served a search warrant about 4:55 p.m. Wednesday at the El Arco Iris pharmacy at 3416 E. Lake Mead Blvd., near Pecos Road, Officer Barbara Morgan said.
The seized drugs filled four large conference room tables and two side tables as investigators sorted through the evidence Thursday morning at Metro’s Investigative Services Division.
Some of the drugs can be legally sold over the counter in the United States, police said, but they were still illegal in this case because they were being sold without the proper English instructions and were at an unlicensed shop.
Some of the medications were also being improperly stored, police said.
Investigators from Metro’s Violent Crimes Unit began investigating the store about a month ago, Lt. George Castro said today.
Police said they do not believe any illegal surgeries or medical procedures were being performed at the shop.
The drugs were being sold mostly to Spanish speakers in the neighborhood, Castro said.
Some of the drugs were being sold at prices that are higher than people would have paid for the legal versions at a legitimate pharmacy, investigators said.
“They are taking advantage of the people in their community for money, for personal gain,” Castro said. “They weren’t really looking (out) for the welfare of the families.”
Among the drugs taken by police were birth control medications, antibiotics, heart medicine and a type of pill popular with some bodybuilders that is only legally used on animals in the United States, police said.
Police said more arrests could be made as the investigation continues.
Guiterrez, 34, has a criminal history with Metro Police that includes driving under the influence after a collision that occurred in August 2008, police said.
Since her Wednesday night arrest, Guiterrez has been released from the Clark County Detention Center, but police said more charges might be filed against her in addition to the three counts she faces of furnishing dangerous drugs without a prescription.
The Nevada Board of Medical Examiners, the state Board of Pharmacists, North Las Vegas Police, Metro’s narcotics unit and the Food and Drug Administration have been involved in the investigation, Castro said.
Sun reporter Mary Manning contributed to this report.
Join the Discussion:
Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.
Full comments policy