The Justice Department on Friday accused Walgreens of fueling the opioid epidemic that has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people by filling millions of unlawful prescriptions across the country.

The U.S. Justice Department on Friday accused pharmacy chain operator Walgreens Boots Alliance of contributing to the U.S. opioid epidemic by filling millions of unlawful prescriptions for addictive painkillers and other drugs.

The U.S. Justice Department has filed a lawsuit accusing Walgreens of filling millions of prescriptions for Americans over the last decade and more without a legitimate purpose, including for dangerous amounts of opioids.

The U.S. DOJ files lawsuit against Walgreens for dispensing millions of illegal prescriptions, driving shares down 11% in after-hours trading.

The Department of Justice sued Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. for allegedly dispensing opioids and other controlled substances at pharmacies across the US while ignoring red flags that the prescriptions were likely illegal.