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Doctor, Assistant Charged After Raid On Dearborn 'Pill Mill'

DEARBORN (WWJ) - Two people have been charged a day following a raid at a Dearborn medical clinic.

According to Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, 67-year-old Dr. Mohammad Derani ran a "pill mill" out of the Dearborn Medical Clinic —  overprescribing multiple controlled substances, including the opioid hydrocodone.

dr and zahra
Mohammad Derani, left, and Zahra Alwajed. (Photo: Michigan Attorney General's Office)

Derani, a West Bloomfield resident, was arraigned Friday on four counts of delivery of illegal drugs with bond set at $250,000 cash. If Derani posts bond, the judge said he cannot travel or practice medicine, must forfeit his passport and must wear a GPS tether.

His license to practice medicine has been suspended by the state.

Derani's office manager and medical assistant Zahra Alwajed was arraigned on four counts of aiding and abetting in the delivery of illegal drugs. In addition, the 28-year-old Detroit resident was charged as a habitual offender. Alwajed's bond was set at $25,000 cash with the same conditions as Derani.

According to police, people came from out-of-state and lined up at all hours outside the clinic, on Warren east of Greenfield, seeking opioid pills. An investigation allegedly revealed that Alwajed would act as a go-between from the patients to the doctor, coaching them on what symptoms to present and what drugs they could most likely get.

It is also alleged that over the course of a year Derani prescribed 55 of his patients what pharmacists and health care professionals term, "The Holy Trinity" — a drug regime that includes at least one opioid, a benzodiazepine and a carisoprodol. Authorities say a combination of these drugs produces an extremely powerful reaction and often leads to overdoses, serious injuries or death.

"Any doctor who knowingly prescribes such highly addictive opioids without first conducting evaluations with utmost prudence is directly responsible for the opioid crisis Michigan families face," said Schuette, in a statement. "In this case, the doctor wasn't just overprescribing, but prescribing the most deadly trio of drugs out there.

"If we want a brighter tomorrow, we must do everything in our power to find, stop, and prevent bad doctors from handing out drugs that ruin and end lives. We owe that to Michigan's future, and I am proud of the dedication of my Opioid Trafficking and Interdiction Unit to that mission."

Derani and Alwajed will be back in court for a probable cause conference on Sept. 1.

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