MIAMI — U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody announced new legislation Monday aimed at cracking down on counterfeit drugs.
It’s called the “Press Act,” and it would create criminal penalties for illegally importing pill presses -- the equipment used to make fake pills that often end up on our streets.
The announcement was made at the Miami Police Department, where Moody, R-Florida, and law enforcement personnel spoke about the dangers of these counterfeit pills, saying many of these pills are sold online or on the street and people have no idea what’s inside.
Moody said the “Press Act” is designed to stop the problem at its source by targeting the machines used to mass produce these drugs, many of them laced with deadly fentanyl.
The goal is to give law enforcement more tools to shut down these operations before the pills reach our community members.
“I urge everyone (to) spread the word -- do not take anything unless it is prescribed to you by a doctor, because these days that choice is most likely to be a deadly choice because these counterfeit pills are laced with dangerous drugs,” Moody said.
“I urge all our residents, all our citizens, do not engage in this behavior,” Miami Police Chief Manny Morales said. “You have no idea what folks are putting in those pills that you are getting ahold of in an illicit manner. The life you could save is your own.”
The undersheriff for the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said anyone profiting from these dangerous drugs will be found and held accountable.
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