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Al Norman: Wal-Mart’s “Frightening” Narcotics Deal
Originally posted on Huffington Post
Illegal Aliens Deliver Fear & Loathing To Wal-Mart Pharmacies
By Al Norman
One of the world’s largest drug store chains is employing a very unusual---and provocative---method for sourcing its drugs.
This week mighty Wal-Mart found itself at the center of a street-level drug deal that raised larger questions about where and how the retailer gets its cheap drugs.
In June of 2008, I wrote in this space about Wal-Mart’s global sourcing empire for prescription drugs, quoting one pharmaceutical industry analyst as saying, Wal-Mart drugs “come from all over the world. They’re U.S. manufacturers, Israeli and Indian manufacturers. They have a choice of where to buy these drugs.”
But this week, Wal-Mart’s choice of drug vendors made some small town news. The corporation was tight-lipped about a narcotics source that raised lingering questions about where the giant retailer is really getting its cheap drugs, and what product safety and procurement protections are in place at the retailer’s pharmacies. In fact, the whole incident was described by the ABC news affiliate that broke the story as “strange.”
Strange, but also unsettling. ABC 4 News in Cedar City, Utah---a town of roughly 28,000 people---reported that a routine traffic stop of three men led to a bizarre tale of prescription narcotics, illegal couriers, a Las Vegas drug supplier, and the world’s largest retailer.
Diego Jimenez, Maricio Jimenez, and Kyle Gutierrez are being held in a jail in Iron County while local authorities sift through their odd story. Police pulled over their car as it was traveling north on Route 15 just south of 100 miles per hour. The men claim they were hired to deliver prescription drugs to at least three Wal-Mart stores, including the superstore on South Providence Drive in Cedar City, Utah, which has an in-store pharmacy. The three men reportedly had already been to the Wal-Mart supercenter in St. George, Utah, which is south of Cedar City on Route 15, and the Wal-Mart superstore on Route 15 further south in Mesquite, Nevada, on the border with Arizona.
While searching the car, police found marijuana paraphernalia, two boxes of prescription narcotics, and a retail invoice for $30,000. Two of the three men in the car admitted to being illegal aliens. The men claimed they had been retained by a company called Nevada Courier, given $150 and a tank of gas to “drive these medications down here and drop them off.”
The three suspects arrested are all reportedly from Las Vegas. The police verified their story by checking with the retailer. “I called Wal-Mart,” one police spokesman told ABC news, “and they said yeah they were expecting a delivery and the driver was late.”
Wal-Mart would not shed more light on the case when contacted by ABC, but sent reporters an email which read, “This situation is unacceptable to Wal-Mart. We maintain strict standards for courier companies that transport products for us. As this was a situation involving a contractor, your questions would need to be addressed by the courier company or the police.”
But Iron County Sheriffs were talking, and they told ABC, “You don’t know if they opened the box, no tamper seals, nothing...so you never know what you’re going to get I guess.” The ABC piece added: “Sheriffs say what’s frightening here is the safety of Wal-Mart’s pharmacy customers.”
Wal-Mart has been in the pharmacy business since 1978, and has over 4,264 pharmacy locations in the U.S. alone. The company boasts of its high-tech software system that gives its pharmacists access to a “huge database” across the country. Yet a company with this sophistication is obtaining narcotics from a carload of illegal “couriers” barreling up Route 15 at 96 miles per hour.
Wal-Mart is right: this situation is “unacceptable.” But the issue here is not only Wal-Mart’s credibility. The issue is the safety of Wal-Mart customers. Where are these drugs really coming from? Who are these couriers? Why are narcotics being driven to stores in a manner reminiscent of Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas?
Regulatory officials in Utah and Nevada need to track the supply chain in this case, and report back on reforms needed to deal with Wal-Mart’s unacceptable narcotics deals. Consumers put all their confidence in these national chain stores---but if this “strange” tale from Cedar City, Utah was enough to frighten the cops, it should scare the rest of us as well.
At Wal-Mart, you never know what you’re going to get, I guess.
Al Norman is the founder of Sprawl-Busters, and has been helping local activists fight big box stores for nearly 16 years. His website is www.sprawl-busters.com.
Posted by Corey Himrod on Monday, April 27, 2009
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COMMENTS
Funny- The illegals who are allowed to remain in this country by our liberal- do nothing Democrat politicians are part of this problem!
P.O.S. Pelosi is one of the politicians who have swept the illegal Alien problem uner the rug for years. Now her own State (Calif.) is bankrupt account of the blood sucking leaches.
Calling an Illegal Alien a “undocumented immigrant” is the same as calling a Drug Trafficker an unlicensed pharmacist.
“The Moral Decay of our society can be linked to the Liberal Democrat & their self cenetered indulgence .
"LA MIGRA" in
Monday, April 27 at 05:40 PM
According to the Obama Administration, crossing the border illegally, is NOT A CRIME.
Charles in
Tuesday, April 28 at 12:04 AM
...allowed to remain in this country...
The Republicans had 8 years to get it done and you failed!
Obama Approval Rating Is 68 Percent
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=ayE7j8CFP2EE&refer=us
How are things out there in the wilderness?
What’s good for Wal-Mart is BAD for America!
Ken V in Last Word Land
Tuesday, April 28 at 05:08 AM
Obama Approval Rating Is 68 Percent
It’s only a matter of time before his approval ratings sink as he spends our kids and grandkids into poverty all the while alianating his base for what he DOESN’T do for them. For all of the demonizing of the Republican party and Bush for the past 8 years and all of their spending (a concept conservatives have always objected to) it pales by comparison to what Obama & co. have done in their first 100 days. It’s downright scary for the future of our country.
Mark in
Tuesday, April 28 at 09:14 AM
Mark,
“Obama Approval Rating Is 68 Percent”
And, just what is the rating of the Democratic Congress? According to the latest Harris poll, it is 21%!!
RDS in
Tuesday, April 28 at 11:47 PM
The rating of Congress is 21% but that includes Republicans.
21%! That number sounds familiar. Oh yeah, isn’t that the percentage of Americans that will admit to being Republican?
“What once was a friendly, customer service oriented business, has become a rude, unhelpful, impersonal corporation that has lost touch with it’s roots.” ~ James, ex Wal-Mart customer and PFB letter writer.
Ken V in Texas
Wednesday, April 29 at 05:00 AM
first, perscription drug runners by illegals.
Now the Swine flu.
The first death case found in Houston.
Go ahead an secede now Texas.
LA MIGRA in
Wednesday, April 29 at 11:18 AM
Ken V,
No, it doesn’t include Republicans:
The Harris Poll. Sept. 17-21, 2008. N=1,015 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3..
“How would you rate the job Democrats in Congress are doing: excellent, pretty good, only fair, or poor?”.
Excellent/Pretty Good Only Fair/Poor
21% 75 %
9/17-21/08
RDS in
Wednesday, April 29 at 12:23 PM
And what do people think of the Republicans in Congress? The ones that are still Republicans, that is.
Now the Swine flu.
You can blame the flu on Mexico if you like but not illegals. The people from here that have the flu went to Mexico and brought it back legally.
Are you sure La Espalda Mojada wouldn’t be more fitting?
What’s good for Wal-Mart is BAD for America!
Ken V in Texas
Wednesday, April 29 at 01:33 PM
The ole Liberal Spin & B/S coming from the Texas transplant.
The case of swine flu came from an Illegal who brought their child into the U.S. for free medical treament. ( of course the Liberal News Media wont report the truth)
Now, your Liberal Leader, is using the plans & Ground work put in place by the Bush Admin. To deal with the coming Pandemic/Epidemic.
Course- If it works, the Liberal Loons will take credit. If not they’ll use the same ole B/S & spin and blame it on the Prior Admin. Obviously the Liberal Loons didnt/dont have a plan of their own. Although it would be interesting to find out how much the Loons spin the actual plan that is in place.
Obviously, the Bush Admin. Did think (even in advance) of the Safety of our Country and its People.
The pied piper and his admin. were to busy shucking, Jibing
& celebrating, They couldnt be bothered with anything else other than cheap talk, paying up past due income taxes and divulging National Secrets.
LA MIGRA in
Wednesday, April 29 at 09:55 PM
LA MIGRA,
“If it works, the Liberal Loons will take credit.”
Liberals are ‘good’ at taking credit for everything that works and pointing fingers at others for things that don’t work!!
RDS in
Wednesday, April 29 at 11:20 PM
Politicizing a possible pandemic. I guess you two will ‘choose’ not to get sick, huh? Good luck! Oh wait, conservatives in the wilderness don’t believe in luck.
To quote Daffy Duck: You’re despicable!
Wal-mart is the most sued company in the world. ~ Orrin Woodward
Ken V in Texas
Thursday, April 30 at 06:05 AM
Ken V,
“I guess you two will ‘choose’ not to get sick, huh?”
It has nothing to do with Choosing not to get sick, it has everything to do with the personal responsibility of avoiding the things that can lead to becoming sick!!
RDS in
Thursday, April 30 at 11:09 AM
RDS-
“It has nothing to do with Choosing not to get sick, it has everything to do with the personal responsibility of avoiding the things that can lead to becoming sick!!’
Show me the PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY decisions these people made to keep them from becoming sick.
“CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Thousands of veterans were at first shocked to learn they should get blood tests for HIV and hepatitis because three hospitals might have treated them with unsterile equipment. Now, just a couple of months after the Department of Veterans Affairs issued the dire warnings, veterans are growing frustrated by the lack of information from the tightlipped federal agency.
Nearly 11,000 former sailors, soldiers, airmen and Marines could have been exposed to infectious diseases because three VA hospitals in the Southeast did not properly clean endoscopic equipment between patients. On Friday, the VA revealed that another patient had tested positive for HIV, bringing the total to four such cases among patients who got endoscope procedures at hospitals in Miami, Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Augusta, Ga.
The agency also said a new hepatitis case had been discovered, increasing the number of positive tests to 26. More than 4,270 veterans still have yet to get test results.”
DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE 4 PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONRACTED AIDS FROM THESE SAME PROCEDURES.
You can do everything the ‘right way’ and make all the ‘right decisions’ and still get sick through no fault or lack of personal responsibility. I could actually argue that these peoples adherence to personal responsibility MADE them sick. Everything isn’t always black and white.
Wal-Mart start paying your way! in Baraboo, WI
Thursday, April 30 at 11:20 AM
Everything isn’t always black and white.
We waste our cyber-ink on a person who chooses to keep his mind in the 50’s and doesn’t believe anyone is less fortunate than he is. If I wasn’t such a humanitarian I would wish a calamity on RDS just to humble him.
Self-righteous people can talk themselves into forgetting they are part of a civilization. ~ David Brin
Ken V in Texas
Thursday, April 30 at 01:48 PM
“Politicizing a possible pandemic”
Ya mean like the Guy that set himself on fire?
Check some of the crap you spewed about that.
Liberals “are the pot calling the kettle black”
You Liberal Loons cant even remember the crap you spew, before you point the finger, at least turn off your bilge pumps for a while.
Rastine in
Thursday, April 30 at 03:59 PM
...bilge pumps...
Being ex-Navy I love it when you use nautical terms.
I’d be interested in the thought processes leading you to correlate a despondant Wal-Mart employee that torched himself in front of his store because he “couldn’t take it anymore” and a global pandemic.
It’s no wonder most of you right wing-nuts are anti drugs. You don’t need them. You’re in LaLa Land sober.
Wal-Mart is the exemplar of a form of corporate colonialism, which is to say, organizations from one place going into distant places and strip-mining them culturally and economically. ~ James Howard Kunstler
Ken V in Texas
Thursday, April 30 at 09:45 PM
It correlates with the “pot callin the kettle black”
The subject matter is secondary, Unless your in the persons mind- how do you know why they torched themselves?
You ASSumed, so why be a hypocrite on another subject matter pointing the finger for what you have done MANY times. Does that correlate with ya.
Liberalism is the art & science of Running the circus from the monkey cage.
Rastine in
Thursday, April 30 at 11:15 PM
Ken V,
“doesn’t believe anyone is less fortunate than he is”
I have admmitted many times, that there are ‘less fortunate’ people, but liberals tend to group everybody with less, as ‘less fortunates’, even if their ACTIONS cause them to be that way!!
“I would wish a calamity on RDS just to humble him”
I have had many calamities in my life to deal with, like the loss of my son and my wifes injuries, to name 2, I just didn’t let them get me down and worked my way through them!!
“I’d be interested in the thought processes leading you to correlate a despondant Wal-Mart employee that torched himself in front of his store because he “couldn’t take it anymore” and a global pandemic.”
Just as I ‘m interested in how (Wal-Mart start paying), correlates transfusions with tainted blood, and catching the FLU!!
The point is, if there is a threat to deal with, whether it be with your job or catching the flu, you deal with it, you don’t KILL yourself!! As the ‘swine flu’ is present in TEXAS, do FEAR it so much that you plan on setting yourself on fire anytime soon?
RDS in
Friday, May 01 at 02:36 AM
...how do you know why they torched themselves?
He “couldn’t take it anymore” were his own words, that’s how I know, DUH!
..you don’t KILL yourself..
Of all people, RDS, it makes no sense that you would oppose the suicide any of these weak, burdens on society. Is it somehow morally superior to let them to starve to death slowly?
Immolate Yourself in Cheap Underwear
Ken V in Texas
Friday, May 01 at 06:22 AM
Ken V,
“He “couldn’t take it anymore””
Take WHAT anymore? Maybe it had NOTHING to do with Wal-Mart, but rather life in general!!
“weak, burdens on society”
Is that what you think they are? I have never said that about people who WORK!! It seems your side are the ones who bring up people being on state programs who work, I bring up people on state programs who DON’T work, but are capable to do so!! I’m all for WORKING people and want them to make the EFFORT to get ahead in life, through ‘personal responsibility’, not HANDOUTS!!
“Is it somehow morally superior to let them to starve to death slowly?”
Nobody in this country has to ‘starve to death’, there are many programs and charities to prevent that!! There are also things called JOBS (I saw 4 ‘help wanted’ signs today)!! If they ‘starve to death’ it is their own fault!!
BTW: One day, I saw a man standing in the Wendy’s parking lot with a sign that said WILL WORK FOR FOOD, behind him, was a sign that said ‘Now Hiring’!! Here he was begging for food (actually he wanted people to give him MONEY), instead of going into the place that had both WORK and FOOD!!
RDS in
Friday, May 01 at 12:32 PM
If they ‘starve to death’ it is... becaue they work at Wal-Mart. (I guess that’s why so many Wal-Mart employees receive food stamps.)
Attempting to defend the indefensible is insanity.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. ~ Albert Einstein
Ken V in Texas
Friday, May 01 at 01:23 PM
RDS-
“Just as I ‘m interested in how (Wal-Mart start paying), correlates transfusions with tainted blood, and catching the FLU!!”
This wasn’t tainted blood, it was unsterillized medical equipment! And you missed the correlation to CHOICES not the flu. You adhere to the philosophy that people are where they are at due to poor choices. The only poor choice these individuals made was to have routine procedures at a VA Hospital (economicallly responsible choice) instead of at a regular clinic or hospital. My question is how is their now very real, and very unfortunate medical condition THEIR fault? What poor decision did they make? To lump everyone into one category (those less fortunate are where they are at because of poor choices) you would have to include these people too. Like I said, not everything is black and white.
Wal-Mart start paying your way! in Baraboo, WI
Friday, May 01 at 02:42 PM
Maybe it had NOTHING to do with Wal-Mart...
So Mr. Graziano torching himself in front of his place of employment (Wal-Mart) was a random act?
I don’t think so, Tim.
Ya mean like the Guy that set himself on fire?
Thanks for bringing that item back up, Rastine. A story that horrific deserves all the publicity it can get. In case some of you didn’t catch it, here’s the link again.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-02-27-walmart-employeefire_N.htm
“I am so damn tired of you people coming in here with other Wal Marts garbage”. ~ Stella (on Wal-Mart returns)
Ken V in Texas
Friday, May 01 at 03:13 PM
“If they ‘starve to death’ it is… becaue they work at Wal-Mart. (I guess that’s why so many Wal-Mart employees receive food stamps.)”
Hey, Dumbo, er I mean Kenbo, If they are getting FOOD STAMPS, why would they be STARVING? Clue: FOOD STAMPS = FOOD = NOT STARVING!!
“So Mr. Graziano torching himself in front of his place of employment (Wal-Mart) was a random act?”
Must have been, because HE was the only one who did it!! Maybe he wanted to go out in front of a big crowd!! Only he knows for sure and he ain’t talking!!
Wal-Mart start paying,
“This wasn’t tainted blood, it was unsterillized medical equipment!”
What’s the difference, something was tainted!!
“You adhere to the philosophy that people are where they are at due to poor choices.”
In most cases I do, but, I have also said that there are SOME that are victims of circumstance and we have ‘safety nets’ to provide for them!!
“The only poor choice these individuals made was to have routine procedures at a VA Hospital (economicallly responsible choice) instead of at a regular clinic or hospital.”
No, they made the choice to join the military (volunteer service) too!! But, isn’t the VA run by the government? The SAME government you people want to run the Universal Healthcare Program?
“To lump everyone into one category”
I don’t do that, your side does!! It is YOUR side that says that ALL Wal-Mart employees are living with ‘poverty wages’ and bad benefits!! Also, Liberals tend to LUMP everyone who aren’t ‘middle or upper class’ as LESS FORTUNATES, no matter what CHOICES they have made!! All I have said, is that there are MANY people who are where they are in life today, because of their ‘bad’ choices!! For example, drug addicts, never been married women with children, gang members, high school dropouts, dead beat dads, drunk drivers, the cronically unemployed, people who ‘cheat’ on their spouse, and criminals, to name a few!!
RDS in
Friday, May 01 at 11:09 PM
RDS-
So, a high school dropout is part of the dregs of society?
Wal-Mart start paying your way! in Baraboo, WI
Friday, May 01 at 11:40 PM
Wal-Mart start paying,
“So, a high school dropout is part of the dregs of society?”
Where did you get that from my post? All I said, was that they made a ‘choice’ to ‘drop out’, which affects their future!! Boy, you guys sure like to SPIN things!!
RDS in
Saturday, May 02 at 11:56 PM
As I Troll around the internet on behalf of the Walmart image, I find it incomprehensible that I should read my own postings or acknowledge any of my previous statements even on this thread. That is simply against any ‘Personal Responsibility’ concept of choice that I should have to make!!
RDS in self-righteous hallelujahs for Walmart
Sunday, May 03 at 12:22 AM
RDS-
“Where did you get that from my post? All I said, was that they made a ‘choice’ to ‘drop out’, which affects their future!! Boy, you guys sure like to SPIN things!! “
You paint with a broad brush when you say, and I quote....
“All I have said, is that there are MANY people who are where they are in life today, because of their ‘bad’ choices!! For example, drug addicts, never been married women with children, gang members, high school dropouts, dead beat dads, drunk drivers, the cronically unemployed, people who ‘cheat’ on their spouse, and criminals, to name a few!!”
The problem is you paint high school dropouts and unwed mothers with gang members, dead beat dads, drug addicts, “cheats”, and criminals.
Richard Branson, James H. Clark, Jack Kent Cooke, Simon Cowell, Charles E. Culpepper, George Eastman, Henry Ford,
Soichiro Honda, Ray Kroc, Marcus Loew, David H. Murdock,
John D. Rockefeller, Vidal Sassoon, Alan Sugar, Dave Thomas, Peter Jenningsm Albert Einstein, Andrew Jackson,
Patrick Henry, Walter Nash, Isaac Singer, Horace Greeley
All high school dropouts. Hell my own Mother is a high school dropout. Notice how many BILLIONAIRES ARE ON THAT LIST.
There are also plenty of unwed mothers with the means to more than effectively take care of their children.
Wal-Mart start paying your way! in Baraboo, WI
Sunday, May 03 at 01:09 AM
...Dumbo...
Oooo...Ow! That really hurt! Is that the bell? I guess recess is over.
I’ll leave you with a piece of advice that most of us learned in kndergarten but seems to have escaped you, RDS.
Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me!
Hey, old man, wanna play dodgeball?
“There is no perceived risk in attacking Wal-Mart anymore. They have gone from being a business success story to being a cultural villain.” ~ Eric Dezenhall
Ken V in Texas
Sunday, May 03 at 06:38 AM
Wal-Mart start paying,
“The problem is you paint high school dropouts and unwed mothers with gang members, dead beat dads, drug addicts, “cheats”, and criminals.”
Only because they all are victims of their own ‘bad’ choices!! You are the one who put them into the ‘dregs of society’ catagory and ‘painted’ them as being akin to each other!! I was just giving an EXAMPLE of people who made ‘bad’ choices and are now in the position they are in, because of those ‘bad choices’, I put NO label on them, other than people who had made ‘bad choices’, YOU lumped them together and labeled them all as being ‘the dregs of society’!!
RDS in
Sunday, May 03 at 11:30 AM
RDS-
“For example, drug addicts, never been married women with children, gang members, high school dropouts, dead beat dads, drunk drivers, the cronically unemployed, people who ‘cheat’ on their spouse, and criminals, to name a few!!”
YOU painted them to being akin to each other when you put them in the same context in the same sentence. What were we supposed to infer? We don’t know intent, we are not mind readers we can only read what we read.
Wal-Mart start paying your way! in Baraboo, WI
Sunday, May 03 at 07:27 PM
Wal-Mart start paying<
“in the same context in the same sentence”
But, the context was PEOPLE WHO MADE BAD CHOICES, not people who are the dregs of society!! You added the context of ‘dregs of society’!!
If I were talking about ‘People who drive Harley-Davidson motorcycles’ and mention the ‘Hell’s Angles’ and weekend cycle riders in the same sentence, does that mean I think ALL Harley Davidson riders are criminal gang members or that both groups may drive Harley’s?
RDS in
Sunday, May 03 at 10:34 PM
RDS-
“But, the context was PEOPLE WHO MADE BAD CHOICES, not people who are the dregs of society!! You added the context of ‘dregs of society’!!”
All right, you are right I will give you that I read more into what you actually said.
However, dropping out of high school and being an unwed mother is not always a “bad choice.” The same cannot be said for drug addicts, gang members, drunk drivers, and criminals.
Wal-Mart start paying your way! in Baraboo, WI
Monday, May 04 at 12:03 AM
Hey, old man, wanna play dodgeball?
I wouldn’t start messing with RDS unless you want a taste of your own medicine.
You know what I mean?
bbrd in
Monday, May 04 at 09:46 PM
Baraboo and Big D—obviously seperated at birth…
(what’s up with all these people from Wisco, anyway?)
bbrd in
Monday, May 04 at 09:47 PM
Wal-Mart start paying,
“However, dropping out of high school and being an unwed mother is not always a “bad choice.” The same cannot be said for drug addicts, gang members, drunk drivers, and criminals.”
If that is so, then they shouldn’t be ‘complaining’ about their LOT in life!! If it was a ‘good choice’, what’s the problem? All I’m saying, is that if you make your bed, you have to sleep in it or make another bed, you shouldn’t wait for someone to make a better one for you!!
RDS in
Tuesday, May 05 at 10:47 AM
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