The following is a transcript of a report by Team 4 investigator Paul Van Osdol that first aired Feb. 15, 2007, on WTAE Channel 4 Action News at 5:30 p.m.

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There is growing concern about a drug dealer that doesn't work in the shadows but can be reached from the privacy of your home.

Internet pharmacies are becoming a huge source of illegal drugs, but now the feds are targeting them, including a handful in western Pennsylvania.

Team 4's Paul Van Osdol has been investigating.

All it takes is a few mouse clicks and a credit card and anyone can buy dangerous, addictive drugs on the Internet.

Some Web sites are legitimate, and they help people save money on prescriptions, but experts told Team 4 many Internet pharmacies are targeting drug addicts and curious kids.

When Ryan Cope needed a quick fix, he turned to his computer.

Cope, a recovering addict, had been drug-free for five years, but while recuperating from surgery, a doctor prescribed him a pain reliever called Fioricet.

After the script ran out, Cope craved more of the drug.

Van Osdol: "How difficult was it to order?"

Cope: "Very easy. Just as easy as ordering anything else on the Internet."

The Web site he used required him to answer a series of questions before buying the drugs, but some questions already had a prepared answer. The Web site then gave Cope's responses to doctors who issued the prescription and within two days, he had his pills.

Van Osdol: "Did you ever talk to any doctor?"

Cope: "No."

Van Osdol: "So you could have made any of this up?"

Cope: "Well, I did make up a lot of the stuff."

Van Osdol: "But nobody checked it?"

Cope: "No. Not as far as I know."

Every time Cope ordered pills, he got an e-mail from the Web site asking if he wanted more. When he got out of detox, his computer had more than 60 e-mails urging him to buy more drugs.

"If you're on the fence and you don't know if you want to or not or if you have a moment of weakness, it would be so easy," said Cope. "If I click that button right now, these are on their way."

Cope's moment of weakness came despite the fact that he himself was treating drug addicts for Greenbriar Treatment Center.

"That's the scary thing about it, you can put a safety net around the person, and you can build all kind of support systems, but you can't control the Internet," said Mary Banaszak of Greenbriar.

Drugs are everywhere on the Internet. If you do a Google.com search for "Vicodin without a prescription," a popular painkiller that requires a prescription, you get more than 3 million sites.

Valium is another addictive drug easily purchased online.

"For an addict to have that easy access is very dangerous," said Cope.

Dr. Neil Capretto, medical director of Gateway Rehabilitation Services, agrees.

"For many people, it's become the biggest drug dealer of the 21st century," said Capretto. "Many patients I know get the majority, if not all their drug supply, online."

Capretto said many are well educated and well compensated who prefer to buy drugs from the comfort of their living room.

"It's more convenient to go online than to drive into the North Side of Pittsburgh at 3 a.m. in the morning," said Capretto.

The boom in Internet drug sales has meant huge profits for Internet pharmacies, but authorities are cracking down.

Several pharmacies in western Pennsylvania are currently under investigation, and two have already been prosecuted, including one that was a bricks and mortar operation in Regent Square, the now closed Junction Pharmacy.

"Both pharmacies were distributing more than $1 million in illegal products," said U.S. attorney Mary Beth Buchanan.

The Internet drug business was also profitable for Anthony Grejda, who is under federal indictment for running an illegal drug trade from the basement of this former pharmacy in Crafton.

Authorities seized two yachts from Grejda, but last fall, Call 4 Action found him aboard a third yacht.

Court records showed that over five years, Grejda's Internet pharmacy generated $60 million in net revenues.

Capretto said most Internet pharmacies are interested only in money, not good medicine.

"They're not interested in helping patients for legitimate medical problems," said Capretto. "They want to sell drugs for profits."

Experts said there are some steps you can take if you want to find out whether a family member is getting drugs from the Internet.

First, check if they've been spending an unusual amount of time online.

Also look for missing money and lots of package deliveries

Finally, check e-mail accounts to see if there's an unusual amount of spam from Internet pharmacies.

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