In recent news, a Florida-based veterinary supply company has conceded to criminal charges related to the improper distribution of a veterinary drug. All Veterinary Supply, Inc. (AVS), based in Doral, Florida, faced legal action after illegally selling xylazine, a drug approved only for veterinary use, which found its way into the human illegal drug market. According to an announcement by United States Attorney David Metcalf, the company pleaded guilty to the distribution of misbranded drugs, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The legal consequences for AVS were passed down by United States District Judge Mark A. Kearney, who ordered the company to three years of probation and imposed an $18,000 fine. Moreover, the company must forfeit a substantial sum of $748,507.25, representing the approximate gross profit AVS gained through its unlawful sales activities. The case materialized after AVS intentionally distributed the drug beyond the constraints of its state permit, which explicitly excluded sales to other wholesalers. Notably, xylazine, commonly referred to as "tranq", has been increasingly discovered in the illicit drug supply and is associated with overdose deaths—especially when combined with substances like fentanyl.
The investigation unravelled AVS's activities, revealing the company had distributed around 180,993 bottles of xylazine to wholesale customers in Puerto Rico, in direct violation of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Ultimately, some of this xylazine ended up contaminating the drug streets of Philadelphia. This case was thoroughly investigated by a collaborative effort involving the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Prosecution was carried out by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony D. Scicchitano and Bryan C. Hughes, along with assistance from Department of Justice Trial Attorneys such as Steven R. Scott, Brett Ruff, and former DOJ Trial Attorney Michael Wadden, supported by EDPA contract investigator Michael Sullivan, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
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