Hasna Bashir Iwas, 62, of New Baltimore, who operated the former Beacon Pointe Pharmacy in Grosse Pointe Park, was convicted last week on 26 charges related to the unlawful distribution of scheduled II, III, IV, and V prescription drug controlled substances.
The charges resulted from Iwas’ operation of Beacon Pointe Pharmacy in Grosse Point Park during 2013-2018.
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Court evidence showed she engaged in several interrelated criminal schemes. Officials say the 62-year-old regularly filled forged prescriptions for controlled substances presented to her by one or two people.
The 1,291 forged prescriptions were presented in the names of over 50 different patients. Iwas received over $640,000 in cash in exchange for filling the forged prescriptions.
Iwas initially insisted each of the individual patients was present in her pharmacy when the forged prescriptions were filled, evidence at trial showed that several of the patients were dead, in prision, or were actually never in the pharmacy at all.
Video evidence revealed the defendant distributing controlled drugs to the pill dealers/forgers in prescription pill bottles without required labeling. Without a label containing the pharmacy name, patient’s name, drug strength, quantity, and directions for use, the pills could not be traced back to her pharmacy when they were sold on the street. The defendant shredded the labels that should have been on the pill bottles.
An audit of Iwas’ pharmacy showed a massive shortage of controlled substances that left the pharmacy without any prescriptions at all.
There were over 70,000 dosage units of Oxycodone 30mg and over 36,000 dosage units of Xanax 2mg that were purchased, delivered to the pharmacy, and not dispensed under any prescription.
“My office is dedicated to stemming the tide of opioid addiction and the terrible consequences to our families in the Eastern District,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison. “We will pursue these drug dealers whether they are distributing drugs in the streets or through a pharmacy.”
“The conviction of Ms. Iwas exemplifies DEA’s determination to combat the diversion of prescription medication,” said Orville Greene, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration. “Iwas abused her pharmacist license to enrich herself, and in so doing, she knowingly fueled the deadly opioid epidemic currently gripping our nation.”
“Medical professionals and others engaged in the delivery of healthcare services, who exploit opioid addiction and facilitate the diversion of highly addictive medications for financial gain, undermine critical efforts to suppress and eliminate the opioid crisis throughout the country,” said Mario M. Pinto, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that bad actors are held accountable for such egregious disregard for public safety.”
Iwas is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 20, 2024, at 3 p.m., and she was convicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
