Additional Feds Brought In To Track Down Pharmacy Looters
BALTIMORE (WJZ)--The number of pharmacies looted during the riots rises and investigators say they're still trying to determine the amount of dangerous drugs on the streets.
Now WJZ has learned more federal muscle is coming in to help as the DEA releases pictures of the suspects they say are responsible.
Meghan McCorkell spoke with investigators today.
DEA officials now say 28 pharmacies and two methadone clinics were looted during the riots. At least 10 more agents are on their way to Baltimore to hunt down the suspects.
Surveillance pictures show the faces of the people the feds say are behind the looting of dozens of pharmacies--- putting thousands of dangerous drugs on the streets.
"It was scary because this is the pharmacy I go to," said Alex Slater.
Alex watched as a mob of people ransacked his local pharmacy.
Federal agents say some thieves hit multiple pharmacies and knew what they were going after.
"Oxycontin, Oxycodone, Saboxone, Morphine, Phentanyl. Things that are dangerous, highly addictive," said Special Agent Gary Tuggle, DEA Baltimore.
"There's enough narcotics on the streets of Baltimore to keep it intoxicated for a year," said Police Commissioner Anthony Batts.
175,000 unit doses--- now being sold on the streets and that number is expected to significantly rise.
Investigators say that some of the pharmacies are still tallying the amount of drugs stolen.
DEA special agent in charge Gary Tuggle says some of the looting was a carefully organized gang effort.
Those highly addictive drugs flooding the streets-- he says--responsible for some of the recent violence.
"We can directly attribute these drugs to turf wars and individual groups, gangs and independent drugs traffickers who are vying for territory," Tuggle said.
Ten additional federal agents from across the country are now being brought in to Baltimore--to try and identify these people and put them behind bars.
DEA officials say they have already identified one person from the surveillance photos, an arrest is expected soon.
Crimestoppers is offering a reward of up to two-thousand dollars for identifying the people in those surveillance photos.