The federal government wants to know more about how the San Diego Padres and San Diego Chargers use painkillers.
Drug Enforcement Administration investigators served 10 warrants around San Diego County Tuesday including PETCO Park and the Chargers' Murphy Canyon training facility.
Agents also served four physicians who are affiliated with the Padres and Chargers and an unknown number of local pharmacies.
Agents hope to verify whether team physicians are dispensing painkillers correctly. The move comes just weeks after Chargers safety Kevin Ellison was accused of carrying 100 Vicodin pills in his car without a prescription. However, the DEA would not tie the warrants to that specific incident.
"The administrative inspection warrants were executed in an attempt to verify the correctness of controlled substance inventories, records, reports and other documents required to be kept under the Controlled Substances Act and for the purpose of protecting the public health and safety," read a statement released by the DEA.
Essentially, they're checking the paperwork to make sure records show the number of drugs the doctors have received matches the number they've dispensed.
Officials said their investigation was ongoing and that no charges or indictments were pending against any of the physicians or pharmacies connected to the probe.
The Padres issued the following statement just before their game Tuesday night at Petco Park against the Colorado Rockies:
"Earlier today, the San Diego Padres learned of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Padres are fully cooperating with the DEA and have been advised that none of our players is the subject of this investigation. Since this investigation is ongoing, the Padres will have no further comment at this time."
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Later Tuesday night, the Chargers also issued a statement:
"The San Diego Chargers were made aware today of an administrative inspection by the Drug Enforcement Administration and have cooperated fully. In regard to the ongoing investigation involving Kevin Ellison, the Vicodin in Kevin's possession was not provided by the Chargers, its physicians or anyone affiliated with the team."
In May, safety Kevin Ellison was arrested after police allegedly found more than 100 Vicodin pills in his car. Ellison did not have a prescription for the drugs. He has since been released from the team. It's unknown if that arrest is in any way associated with Tuesday's developments.
