The Guardia Civil has arrested a 22-year-old man and a 46-year-old woman, both residents of Lleida and the Noguera region, for allegedly falsifying 48 medical prescriptions. The pair also face 48 charges of identity theft. The 'Operation RECBIN', coordinated by the ROCA Team of the Barbastro Company in collaboration with the Binéfar post, led to the seizure of 30 tablets of Zolpidem, a sedative used for severe insomnia.
Investigations began in early March after a pharmacist in the La Litera region reported that a person had repeatedly visited their establishment with suspicious prescriptions for medication. Agents later determined that all the seized prescriptions followed the same fraudulent pattern and had been created using the details of a doctor registered in Madrid.
Zolpidem is used for short-term treatment of severe insomnia in adults. However, it can cause dependence, cognitive changes, extreme drowsiness, and risky behaviours, especially when combined with alcohol or other substances.
Arrests Made in Binéfar
On 15 April, ROCA Team officers from Barbastro arrested the two suspects in a pharmacy in Binéfar as they were committing the offence. During the intervention, 30 tablets of the dispensed medication were seized. Further enquiries revealed that the detainees travelled to various towns in Huesca province to obtain the drug before returning to their usual place of residence.
Thirteen pharmacies across two provinces were affected by the scheme. The continuing investigation attributed eight fraudulent dispensations to the arrested individuals at five pharmacies in the Cinca Medio and La Litera regions of Huesca province. Additionally, they are accused of 40 other fraudulent dispensations at eight pharmacies located in Lleida city and other municipalities in the Segrià and Noguera regions of Lleida province. This repeated criminal activity led to a second arrest of the same individuals for the full scope of the crimes committed.
Judicial Proceedings Underway
The ROCA Team of the Barbastro Guardia Civil Company prepared the relevant proceedings. These, along with the detainees, were sent to the Court of First Instance No. 1 in Monzón. After appearing before the court, both arrested individuals were released with charges, pending the continuation of the criminal proceedings.
