The Associated Press

Mon, Jan 12, 2009 (3:06 p.m.)

Pharmacy chain Rite Aid Corp. and subsidiaries in eight states will pay $5 million in penalties for violating rules designed to control key ingredients for methamphetamines.

The Justice Department said Monday that the drugstore operator also has agreed to a new compliance plan with the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Officials said DEA investigation found the company knowingly filled prescriptions for controlled substances pseudophedrine and ephedrine when it knew those prescriptions were not issued for a legitimate medical reason.

Violations were found at Rite Aid pharmacies in California, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

As of December, the Pennsylvania-based company operated 4,915 drugstores.