PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona authorities say 11 people face charges accusing them of involvement in an opioid ring that allegedly stole identities of health care providers to write fake prescriptions.

The state Attorney General’s Office said Tuesday an investigation by city, county and federal agencies identified 36 separate transactions involving fraudulent prescriptions for opioids.

A June 11 indictment charged the defendants but office spokeswoman Mia Garcia said authorities had to wait to announce the indictment because four defendants are fugitives and couldn’t be served right away.

According to the office, the investigation started in 2018 when a nurse practitioner complained that his identity was used to write fake prescriptions for Oxycodone.

Charges include participating in a criminal syndicate, conspiracy, taking the identity of another and acquisition of narcotic drugs by fraud.

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