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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
March 17, 2008
WICHITA DISTRIBUTOR FINED $20,000 FOR MISHANDLING EPHEDRINE
WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man who sells sundries to gas stations and convenience stores has been fined $20,000 for violating federal rules on the handling of ephedrine.
Gary Shively, doing business as S & S Distributors, was assessed a civil penalty for violating the Controlled Substances Act.
“Ephedrine is a key ingredient in methamphetamine,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren. “Keeping it out of the hands of drug dealers requires that vendors keep accurate records.”
Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine type products once were commonly sold in gas stations and convenience stores as over-the-counter diet or pep pills. In July 2007 a change in Kansas law restricted them to sale by pharmacies and other health care practitioners.
Shively was found to have repeatedly failed to maintain accurate records on his sales. He was unable to account for approximately 30 cases of the products.
Melgren commended the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Office of Diversion Control and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurie Kahrs for their work on the case.
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