City of Frederick , Maryland
OPERATION SAFEGUARD
PHARMACIES
As described in the accompanying letter, Operation SAFEGUARD is based on the idea that certain legitimate businesses and industries may be unknowingly exploited by terrorists who portray themselves as honest customers seeking to purchase, lease or somehow appropriate certain material, licenses and/or services to covertly further a terrorist plot.
The following may be general indicators of potential terrorist planning or activities. Alone each indicator can result from legitimate recreational or commercial activities or criminal activity not related to terrorism; however, multiple indicators combined with other information can possibly suggest a terrorist threat.
- Physical surveillance, which may include note taking or the use of binoculars, cameras or maps near key facilities.
- Attempts to gain sensitive information regarding key facilities or personnel through personal contact or by telephone, mail or e-mail.
- Attempts to penetrate or test physical security and response procedures at key facilities.
- Attempts to improperly acquire explosives, weapons, ammunition, dangerous chemicals, flight manuals or other materials which could be used in a terrorist attack.
- Suspicious or improper attempts to acquire official vehicles, uniforms, badges, access cards or identification for key facilities.
- Presence of individuals who do not appear to belong in the workplace, business establishment or near a key facility.
- Behavior which appears to denote planning for terrorist activity, such as mapping out routes, playing out scenarios, monitoring key facilities and timing traffic flow or signals.
- Stockpiling suspicious materials or abandoning potential containers for explosives (e.g., vehicles or suitcases).
The following examples of activity relating to Pharmacies, though not fully inclusive, may be of possible concern to law enforcement:
·
An
unusual request for purchase of a particular pharmaceutical compound that would
generally not be used independent of mixing with additional substances and that
may be potentially harmful or used to incapacitate people.
·
Suspicious
inquiries regarding certain types of over the counter drugs and their potential
harmful effects.
·
The
unexplained loss or theft of items from your pharmaceutical inventory which are
intended to serve as antidotes in the event of a biological or chemical attack
(i.e., auto injectors of Atropine, Ciprofloxacin pills, etc.).
·
The
unexplained loss or theft of items from your pharmaceutical inventory that
could possibly be combined with other easily obtained items and thus present a
danger to the public.
·
The unexplained loss or theft or mass purchases
of pseudo-ephedrine products that may be indicative of methamphetamine labs,
the profit of which may potentially be used to facilitate terrorism or
terrorism activities.
·
“Surveillance
of Sales as an Attack Indicator”: A dramatic spike in the purchase of a
particular over-the-counter medicine (i.e., cold syrup, to determine if people
might be self medicating to fight off flu-like symptoms which may in fact be
caused by bio-terror agents).
Your impressions and assessment based upon your professional business experience are extremely valuable and should help guide you in determining if a customer request, a fact pattern or set of circumstances is unusual. Please remember that the conduct itself does not have to be criminal per se for you to report it to the Frederick Police Department. We may be contacted 24-hours a day, seven days a week by calling:
301-600-2100
SGT Dennis K. Dudley
Planning Division
Frederick Police Department
100 West Patrick Street
Frederick, MD 21702
301-600-1206 (Office)
301-600-2082 (FAX)