(WWJ) -- A newly created Michigan State Police unit to combat the opioid crisis has already resulted in charges against a pair of medical professionals who were illegally prescribing drugs.
It's called the Diversion Investigation Unit and Lt. Benjamin Garrison, who heads it up, says the unit is taking aim at health professionals who are illegally distributing controlled drugs.
"A doctor is somebody you trust," Garrison told WWJ. "We're looking for dirty doctors, we're not looking at doctors that are not doing something intentionally wrong."
Investigations conducted by the DIU have resulted in multiple charges against two of those "dirty doctors."
Remona Brown, N.P., of Lansing was charged with one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, one count of conspiracy to manufacture illegal prescriptions, nine counts of manufacturing illegal prescriptions and one count of healthcare fraud.
Arduth M. Burgess, D.O., of Mason was charged with one count of manufacturing illegal prescriptions, two counts of possessing controlled substances, one count of healthcare fraud and one count of failing to keep records. Burgess was also slapped with a misdemeanor count of licensee prescription violations.
Officials say there were more than 2,000 overdose deaths in 2017, the last year for which numbers are available. Col. Joe Gasper, director of the Michigan State Police, says a new approach is needed as crime evolves, especially if doctors are becoming part of the problem.
"This is a very real and potentially deadly part of the opioid epidemic," Gasper said in a statement. "Prescribing medically unnecessary controlled substances pushes highly addictive drugs on to our streets impacting public and patient safety."
More information about MSP's fight against opioids can be found on the state's website.
