Online counterfeit prescription drugs becoming a growing and dangerous trend in the US

Surveillance photos show of a customer who sent almost 80 packages daily and inside those packages-- counterfeit drugs mailed by Shoaib Haroown.

"We found Mr. Haroown receiving orders and then supplying those orders out to customers that had ordered pharmaceutical pills on websites or online pharmacies," said Thomas Halsell, US Postal Inspector.

People may order the drugs online in an effort to save money, but make no mistake-- experts say it's like playing Russian roulette.

"They were receiving packages with pills in them that were in Ziploc bags, they weren't marked with what they were-- they had no instructions with them, they had no side effects, they had no warnings," said Halsell.

"You may receive the actual compound and you may not. You may receive something that's deadly to you," said Dale Forrester, Forensic Chemist.

A search warrant of Haroown's home showed random uncounted pills, credit card numbers, and passports.

Law enforcement and medical experts both say you are gambling with your life by taking drugs that don't follow legal standards.

"One of the things that you need to make sure of is they ask for your doctor's prescription, that when you get the package that it actually comes in some type of self-locking mechanism, particularly the brown bottles with the interlocking caps. It needs to have the doctor's name on it, the type of pill that's inside of it, the daily dosage, the side effects, warnings, and list the active ingredients," Halsell said.

The suspect in this case was sentenced to five years in federal prison.