Current, Former Employees Charged With Dealing Painkillers, Anti-Anxiety Drugs At Assembly Plant

Nearly two dozen current and former Boeing employees have been arrested and charged with the illegal sale of painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs at the company's assembly plant in Ridley Park, PA. Authorities said the investigation began four years ago, and resulted in the arrests on charges of selling Oxycontin and other drugs.

Reuters reports that U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger said in a news conference that another 14 people were charged with attempted possession of the contraband for attempting to buy them.

The plant employs more than 6,000 people, and is the assembly facility for the V-22 VTOL Osprey and H-47 Chinook helicopters. The integrity of the work was not compromised by the workers alleged drug use, according to Memeger. Boeing said it cooperated fully with the investigation, and took precautions to be sure that the aircraft being produced were not compromised.

Among the prescription medications allegedly being sold illegally at the plant were Oxycontin, Actiq, Suboxone, and Xanax.

In a statement, Boeing said it "commends the U.S. Attorney's Office, and other federal law enforcement agencies for their rigorous and thorough investigation, throughout which we took appropriate steps to ensure safety of our employees and the absolute integrity and quality of the products we produce for our customers."

Those charged face sentences of up to 260 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines if convicted.

FMI: www.justice.gov/usao/pae/, www.boeing.com