17-year-old labeled cough meds as prescription opioids: police
The accused has been charged in possession of the drugs
A 17-year-old has been charged with filling pharmacy bottles with over-the-counter medicines and re-labelling them as hydrocodone, an addictive opioid.
Halton Regional Police arrested and charged the 17-year-old from Burlington last Thursday, charging the teen with possession of hydrocodone for the purpose of trafficking.
Police said the teen manufactured labels and put them on empty bottles, filling them with over-the-counter medicines and labelling them as hydrocodone.
Det. Sgt. Brad Murray from Halton Police's Drug, Gun and Gang Unit said the police don't know whether the teen ever had any actual hydrocodone. Murray compared it to a counterfeiter selling oregano and tellling people it's pot, but he said that's enough to be charged with trafficking.
Hydrocodone can cause severe side effects like irregular breathing and chest pain. The offender was swapping in over-the-counter cough medicines that contain dextromethorphan, such as KOFFEX, police said.
The accused's identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act and cannot be released.
The Halton Regional Police Service have been warning youth and parents about the dangers of such drugs for several months.