Salwan Wesam Adjaj, D.D.S.
Outcome
Former West Linn, Oregon dentist Salwan Adjaj, 43, pleaded guilty July 2022 and was sentenced October 11, 2022, for distributing thousands of prescription drug doses including tramadol, benzodiazepines, steroids, and controlled substances procured using his dental prescribing authority and from the dark web, from March 2016 through August 2020.
Details
Salwan Wesam Adjaj, D.D.S. — Prescription Drug Distribution and Dark Web Drug Procurement (2016–2022)
Outcome: Salwan Wesam Adjaj, 43, a former dentist from West Linn, Oregon, pleaded guilty on July 13, 2022, to distributing and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman on October 11, 2022, to a maximum of 10 years in prison for distributing thousands of doses of prescription drugs using his dental prescribing authority and drugs procured through the dark web.
Salwan Adjaj was a licensed dentist residing in West Linn, Oregon. Beginning in at least March 2016 and continuing until August 2020, Adjaj knowingly and intentionally distributed and possessed with intent to distribute thousands of doses of controlled and prescription drugs. The substances included tramadol, anabolic steroids, injectable testosterone, phendimetrazine, diazepam, alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam, carisoprodol (Soma), zolpidem, and promethazine.
Adjaj obtained some of these drugs from pharmaceutical manufacturers by exploiting his position as a licensed dentist — using his prescribing and ordering authority to procure controlled substances outside the scope of dental practice. He obtained additional drugs, including anabolic steroids and human growth hormone, from the dark web, bypassing the regulated pharmaceutical supply chain entirely.
The case is notable for combining two distinct diversion vectors: abuse of dental prescribing authority to obtain legitimate controlled substances from licensed manufacturers, and dark web procurement of controlled substances outside any regulatory oversight. The DEA investigated the case.
Primary Source: DEA Press Release — Former Oregon Dentist Pleads Guilty in Federal Drug Case (Jul. 13, 2022)
How Crucible Prevents This
Adjaj used his dental prescribing authority to obtain tramadol and other controlled substances from pharmaceutical manufacturers, and separately sourced drugs including steroids and human growth hormone from the dark web. Crucible's controlled substance procurement audit trails would have flagged the pharmaceutical ordering pattern as inconsistent with dental practice needs, and the dark web procurement would have been detectable through standard inventory reconciliation showing drugs present without valid procurement documentation.
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