Office of the Attorney General
Attorney General Conway's Prescription Drug Diversion Task Force Participates In Historic Drug Sweep

Attorney General Jack Conway’s Prescription Drug Diversion Task Force was among the agencies making arrests this week as part of the largest drug sweep operation in Kentucky’s history. A total of 518 felony arrest warrants were issued, resulting in the arrest of more than 300 people over two days in 34 Kentucky counties.  General Conway’s task force, Kentucky’s only statewide task force devoted solely to investigating prescription pill abuse, was responsible for 27 of the arrests on 30 indictments issued in Powell and Menifee counties in Eastern Kentucky.  Those arrested face nearly 50 counts of trafficking in a controlled substance, 1st and 2nd degree. The charges are Class C and D felonies that carry penalties of between one and 10 years in prison.

“We are striking a major blow against the epidemic of prescription drug abuse in Kentucky,” said General Conway. “With the renewed cooperation between law enforcement at the local, state and federal level, we will shut down the pain pill pipeline between Kentucky and Florida.”

Also participating in the drug sweep were Kentucky State Police, the FBI, U.S. Attorneys Office, Operation Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment and Education (UNITE), Appalachian High Intensity Drug Traffic Area (HIDTA) and the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

“I am grateful to all of our partners who have joined forces to address the epidemic of prescription pill abuse in Kentucky,” said General Conway. “The men and women in law enforcement who were part of this multi-agency operation are on the front lines in the battle against an enemy that is claiming lives and shattering families in every corner of the Commonwealth. We will continue to work together to stop the diversion of illegal prescription pills into Kentucky.”

Investigators from the Office of the Attorney General's Drug Investigations Branch began working with Operation UNITE in July 2008 as part of this historic operation. Since January 2008, the OAG Drug Branch has seized more than 4,400 prescription pills, opened nearly 300 drug investigation cases, made nearly 100 arrests and participated in more than a dozen drug round-ups.

General Conway launched his statewide OAG Prescription Drug Diversion Task Force in August after receiving a $50,000 grant from the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI). The task force currently has nine members and continues to solicit participation from local law enforcement from across the Commonwealth.