DEA Agents Stop Tampa Bay Medical Staff At BWI In National Substance Abuse Probe
WASHINGTON (WJZ) -- Federal drug enforcement agents conducted surprise inspections on some NFL teams after Sunday's games as they investigated allegations of prescription drug abuse in the league.
Derek Valcourt explains several teams were searched as part of an ongoing investigation.
The Ravens had their bye-week so they were not one of those teams involved---but one of those surprise inspections did happen at BWI.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had just finished beating the Washington Redskins when DEA agents surprised them at BWI as they were preparing to head home.
In all, federal agents conducted interviews and bag searches of the medical staff of at least three NFL teams, part of an ongoing investigation into how team doctors dole out prescription painkillers.
"No professional sports league has ever been subject to this breadth of searches in various cities throughout the country," said attorney Steve Silverman.
Silverman is helping to represent more than 1,300 former NFL players in a class action suit claiming the NFL illegally "fed them a constant diet of pills to deal with pain" so that they could continue playing, alleging drugs were handed out like candy.
Former center Jeremy Newberry says he was injected with anti-inflammatory drugs every game for 10 seasons.
"It's almost like a cattle call when you would have 20 to 25 guys standing with your pants half down, waiting in line for a doctor that's got 100 different syringes lined up," he said.
The DEA says the Sunday raids were done to make sure NFL medical staff operates within the confines of the law.
Silverman thinks the DEA is sending a message.
"I think the purpose of it was to put the NFL on notice that it's not going to be business as usual anymore," he said.
A spokesman for the NFL says, "Our teams cooperated with the DEA...and we have no information to indicate that irregularities were found."
The investigation is now being led by the US attorney's office in the Southern District of New York. They could pursue criminal charges if they find evidence of wrongdoing in the last five years.
The NFL has asked a judge to dismiss the class action lawsuit by former players against the league. AAttorneys say a ruling could come by late December.