A WARRNAMBOOL courier driver and a nurse who both allegedly stole prescription drugs have turned the spotlight on the black market for pain management medication - known as "hillbilly heroin".
Opiate-based tablets sell for up to $50 each on the black market, according to the man in charge of Warrnambool's leading drug-counselling agency.
A Warrnambool delivery driver, 41, was arrested and charged on Tuesday with nine offences after a sting by Warrnambool detectives.
A Warrnambool nurse has also resigned after allegations she stole medication from seriously ill patients.
Detective Senior Constable Matt Laxton, of the Warrnambool Criminal Investigation Unit, said suspicions were raised about a courier driver which led to Tuesday's operation.
He said video surveillance and marked boxes were used by detectives after concerns were raised about the delivery of opiate-based prescription drugs to a pharmacy.
Police filmed an alleged incident and then intercepted a delivery van just west of Port Fairy at 7.10am on Tuesday.
Detective Senior Constable Laxton said police allege that the man stole pain management drugs OxyContin and MS Contin.
The man has been charged with nine offences, including theft, attempted theft and possessing and using a drug of dependence.
He has been bailed to appear in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on January 12.
The charges came on the same day that allegations were made by the family of a seriously ill Warrnambool woman.
The woman's son, who wanted to remain anonymous, contacted The Standard and alleged that pain management medication had been substituted with water.
South West Healthcare's community partnerships manager Suzan Morey said the hospital was aware of allegations.
"We take these matters very seriously," Ms Morey said.
"This issue has been thoroughly investigated, due process has been put in place and the person concerned has chosen to resign," she said.
Western Region Alcohol and Drug centre director Geoff Soma said there were many mostly older Warrnambool people on pain management medication and they were safe due to processes followed by doctors and pharmacies.
However, Mr Soma said the case of a heroin-addicted Melbourne nurse who appeared before a Melbourne court last month highlighted the issue.
The nurse stole intravenous pain-relief drugs from seriously ill and terminally ill patients after she infiltrated some of Melbourne's leading public and private hospitals. She will serve a jail sentence in the community.
"We have found that wherever there is opportunity people with drug problems can't help themselves," Mr Soma said.
"If people are addicted they will do anything to get their hands on drugs. The other issue is saleability on the black market of these opiate or analgesic medications."
Mr Soma said said a single pill on the black market could sell for $50 and the medication usually came in packs of 20 tablets.
"Often we find that people have to get to the point of going to court and being directed by a magistrate towards treatment before they do anything about their drug problems," he said.
"There's a subculture of people who trade and steal drugs and steal money to get their hands on drugs," he said.
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