Fraudsters target Prescott, Cornwall drug stores

In this photo provided by Grenville County O.P.P. a suspect in a pharmacy-related fraud walks up to the counter of a Prescott, Ont. pharmacy on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. Police in Prescott and Cornwall have been dealing with pharmacy fraud in recent days. (Grenville County O.P.P. via Newswatch Group)

PRESCOTT/CORNWALL – Both Ontario Provincial Police and the Cornwall Police Service have been dealing with prescription fraud at pharmacies in Prescott and Cornwall.

In Prescott, police are still looking for a suspect while Cornwall cops have arrested three men.

Grenville County O.P.P. say pharmacies in the Prescott area had been faxed a forged prescription for an opioid painkiller and then a young man showed up Monday morning (Dec. 7) to pick it up.

When he was asked to wait because he didn’t have proper ID, the man left.

Meantime, the next day in Cornwall (Dec. 8), police arrested three 19-year-old men from Ottawa at a local pharmacy.

City police say one of the men presented a fraudulent prescription at one drug store the Friday before (Dec. 4).

They are also accused of conspiring to have prescriptions filled at two other city pharmacies – one of them is where they were arrested.

During their arrest, officers seized Percocet and cocaine. All three are facing fraud and drug-related charges.

When asked by Newswatch, both the O.P.P. and Cornwall Police Service weren’t been able to confirm whether the cases are connected.