Federal authorities executing search warrants in Framingham Tuesday discovered a black market doctor’s office operating inside of a large apartment complex, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where four Brazilian nationals had been peddling illegal prescription drugs to the Portuguese-speaking community.
Inside the unit at The Green at 9 & 90, which advertises itself as a luxury apartment community at 1630 Worcester Road, law enforcement found an examination and consultation area, large quantities of controlled substances and non-controlled prescription and/or misbranded drugs imported from Brazil and used syringes ostensibly used to inject patients, they said.
Charged in the investigation, which began in Oct. 2023, are Douglas Reis de Souza, 40; Dekny Marcos de Carvaleho Reis, 33; Dekmara de Carvalho Reis, 34; and Wandiscleia Ferreira de Souza Guimaraes, 41. They each face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Law enforcement said lead defendant Reis de Souza falsely portrayed himself as a legitimate pharmacist with 22 years of experience to Framingham’s Portuguese-speaking community. According to court documents, he did business as “Droga Reis,” which is Portuguese for “Drug King.”
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley said the operation “exploited a community’s trust” for years. Framingham has the largest Brazilian community in Massachusetts and one of the largest in the U.S.
Law enforcement photos show large quantities of illegal prescription drugs inside a Framingham apartment that purportedly operated as a black market doctor’s office.(Courtesy/U.S. Attorney’s Office)
Reis de Souza had electronic business cards that advertised “remedies from Brazil,” including “medicines for adult and pediatric use, contraceptive pills and injectables, injectable cocktail to treat muscular and orthopedic problems and perforation of ear cells,” court documents show.
Reis de Souza told patients to contact him on WhatsApp and included a QR code that auto-populated a chat requesting medication, according to authorities.
“Don’t miss your work day,” the business card purportedly said.
Law enforcement said Reis de Souza collected “hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits” as a result of the drug trafficking scheme.
The three other defendants — Carvaleho Reis, Dekmara de Carvalho Reis and Wandiscleia Ferreira de Souza Guimaraes — were employed to process, fill and deliver orders, according to authorities.
Investigation began with anonymous tip
According to a federal court affidavit, in Oct. 2023, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration received an anonymous tip through its web portal, identifying Reis de Souza as selling “illegal medicines without prescription to the Brazilian community inside the Green at 9 & 90 condominiums in Framingham.”
The tip said some of the drugs included Zolpidem, Ritalin, Vyvanse, Dipyrone and Ozempic.
Pictured are illegal prescription drugs that law enforcement says were sold by a black market doctor’s office in Framingham run by four Brazilian nationals.(Courtesy/U.S. Attorney’s Office)
The DEA enlisted a confidential source to purchase pharmaceutical-grade narcotics from Reis de Souza. During an initial Whatsapp exchange, Reis de Souza agreed to sell the source one injectable pain medicine cocktail for $100, court documents show.
Between 2023 and 2024, the confidential source made seven undercover purchases from Reis de Souza, the documents state, all at the 1630 Worcester Road address, where Reis de Souza leased an apartment.
Codeine, Tramadol, clonazepam, morphine and alprazolam were among the drugs authorities say Reis de Souza’s operation distributed to paying customers.
Customers asked to come forward
Law enforcement also seized at least 24 packages sent from Brazil to Reis de Souza’s drug trafficking organization during the investigation, they said, all of which were found to contain illegally imported pharmaceutical-grade controlled substances.
In total, an estimated 8 kilograms of controlled substances and tens of kilos of non-controlled substances were recovered during the investigation, law enforcement said.
“Prescription drugs play a vital role allowing individuals to control symptoms, treat illnesses, and improve overall health,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, inspector in charge at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Boston Division. “The illegal and improper dispensing of prescription drugs to vulnerable individuals without the concurrence from a medical professional or a licensed pharmacist is a deadly combination.”
Foley urged individuals impacted by the “scheme,” especially those who may have experienced adverse effects, to come forward and report it to law enforcement by contacting USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.
