Mon, Oct 03, 2011
Current, Former Employees Charged With Dealing Painkillers,
Anti-Anxiety Drugs At Assembly Plant
Nearly two dozen current and former Boeing
employees have been arrested and charged with the illegal sale of
painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs at the company's assembly plant
in Ridley Park, PA. Authorities said the investigation began four
years ago, and resulted in the arrests on charges of selling
Oxycontin and other drugs.
Reuters reports that U.S. Attorney Zane David
Memeger said in a news conference that another 14 people were
charged with attempted possession of the contraband for attempting
to buy them.
The plant employs more than 6,000 people, and is the assembly
facility for the V-22 VTOL Osprey and H-47 Chinook helicopters. The
integrity of the work was not compromised by the workers alleged
drug use, according to Memeger. Boeing said it cooperated fully
with the investigation, and took precautions to be sure that the
aircraft being produced were not compromised.
Among the prescription medications allegedly being sold
illegally at the plant were Oxycontin, Actiq, Suboxone, and
Xanax.
In a statement, Boeing said it "commends the U.S. Attorney's
Office, and other federal law enforcement agencies for their
rigorous and thorough investigation, throughout which we took
appropriate steps to ensure safety of our employees and the
absolute integrity and quality of the products we produce for our
customers."
Those charged face sentences of up to 260 years in prison and
millions of dollars in fines if convicted.
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