COPS CAP THIEVING DRUGSTORE COWBOYS By JENNIFER GOULD

January 12, 2003 -- Ingenious bands of drug thieves who allegedly raked in tens of millions of dollars by swiping over-the-counter medications from the shelves of drugstore chains were arrested yesterday after a five-month police undercover sting.

According to NYPD Bronx Inspector Kevin Unick, the largest of the three rings netted $25 million a year in nonprescription drugs.

Five people were arrested, and two are being probed for possible funding of terror groups.

"These are outstanding arrests," Unick said

Cops said there were three operations, working out of separate storefronts, but they're still looking into whether the three are linked.They are also probing truck hijackings.

Police said popular brand-name drugs and other merchandise, like Tylenol, Aleve, Zantac, home pregnancy tests and cold and flu medications, were repackaged by the band.

Workers used heat guns to melt off incriminating labels and rewrapped the items in plastic before selling them to unsuspecting mom-and-pop stores.

The sting bagged $750,000 worth of stolen pharmaceuticals. Police said the thieves sold the drugs for one-third of the retail price, less than legitimate suppliers charge.

Unick said two men arrested, Mazen Alrohmein, 31, and Sami Ghrouf, 40, of Brooklyn, were illegal aliens from the Middle East. more

-- Anonymous, January 12, 2003