Local pharmacies tied to multistate pill-mill operation, distributing Purple Drank

ATLANTA — A federal complaint obtained by Channel 2 Action News is connecting metro area pharmacies to a large multistate pill-mill operation.
 
Channel 2's Rachel Stockman broke the story when several metro area pharmacies were raided by federal drug agents in July.
 
Among the things found inside the pharmacies was a prescription strength cough syrup known as Purple Drank.
 
It is highly sought after for a high and very dangerous.
 
Drug Enforcement Administration agents reportedly wiretapped Anthony Licata, who is accused of being a ringleader in the multistate pill-mill operation
 
Stockman interviewed Licata in 2013 when a Buckhead doctor was arrested. He told Stockman he had no idea what was going on.
 
"It wasn't my place to do anything. I did what I was told, which was nothing and finally it was too much and I had to walk away," Licata told Stockman at the time.
 
According to the federal complaint, that's not what happened.
 
The document says Licata went on to help run other operations, making thousands and recruiting Dr. Romie Roland to write fraudulent prescriptions.
 
Investigators say patients from the alleged pill mills would go to their pharmacies to fill up on Purple Drank.  
 
According to documents, at West End Pharmacy investigators discovered more than 1 million milliliters of Purple Drank with lots of it unaccounted for.
 
Stockman tried to track the owners of the pharmacies via phone but did not hear back. They are not facing any criminal charges.
 
Stockman also emailed Licata's attorney in Florida about the accusations in the complaint, but so far there has been no response.