State Department issues warning about counterfeit pills sold in Mexican pharmacies

The U.S. Department of State issued a warning after reporting showed that counterfeit pharmaceuticals containing illicit drugs were being sold in pharmacies in Mexico. 

The counterfeit medications were tainted with substances including fentanyl and methamphetamine, the department said. The details of the counterfeit pills were first reported by the Los Angeles Times. The department said that the Drug Enforcement Administration had also reported counterfeit prescriptions sold on both sides of the border, represented as OxyContin, Percocet, Xanax and others. 

The department said in its advisory that people should "exercise caution when purchasing medicine," noting that pharmaceuticals, even those that might require a prescription in the United States, "are often readily available for purchase with little regulation."