DEA raids pain clinic in possible pill mill investigation

LONGWOOD, Fla. — Channel 9 was there Friday when Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided the Professional Pain Clinic in Longwood.

Undercover agents were at the clinic Friday working on what they said is a two-year investigation into a possible pill mill.

Authorities confiscated paper records, computer equipment and prescription drugs. Channel 9 learned the feds also seized the bank accounts of multiple suspects, including James Long, the business' administrator.

"It is a fairly large-scale operation that generated a large amount of illegal proceeds," said DEA agent Jeffrey Walsh.

A nearby business owner told Channel 9 he would see people leave the clinic by the dozen and walk past his insurance agency.

"I've had syringes on my property, I've had people parking on my property, I've had confrontations," said Chase Herbig of HIG Insurance Group. "I've had defecation on the property."

Herbig said Friday's actions came after his complaints of two years.

"When you have volumes of people actually dealing, selling prescriptions outside my building and handing off drugs, it's not very good," said Herbig.

Investigators said the raid is a joint operation between several agencies in central Florida and has spanned at least two counties.

Channel 9 found the crime scene extends into Brevard County, where the co-owner's gated home was also searched.

He hasn't been arrested, but one person inside the home with an unrelated warrant was taken into custody.

"Between Longwood and the DEA task force, there are probably 14 or 15 departments out here participating," said Walsh.

K9 units were also used in the search.

Authorities said with the warrant they had, they were able to talk to and search anyone who was inside the clinic at the time of the raid, which was between 20 and 30 people.

WFTV