Methhead former Melbourne pharmacist William Trieu swindled 33,250 Xanax Alprazolam tablets

A Melbourne pharmacist who claimed he stole 33,000 Xanax pills for “personal use” alleged drug abuse was rife in his profession.

A drug-addicted Melbourne pharmacist who ran a protracted bogus prescription medication racket claimed he gobbled down 36 Xanax tablets a day.

Disgraced pharmacist William Trieu, 33, falsified patient supply records to swindle 33,250 Xanax pills while working at various chemists between November 2014 and April 2017.

Trieu, who fronted a VCAT disciplinary hearing on Friday, modified patient medication supply records to mask his skulduggery.

Trieu’s racket went kaput after he admitted his offending to an Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency investigator in April 2017.

The fiend pharmacist told the investigator he had “consumed it all” when asked what he did with the Xanax.

Trieu, who initially claimed to be guzzling 36 xannies a day, also said he destroyed some of his illicit stockpile.

The Pharmacy Board of Australia immediately suspended Trieu and his dodgy conduct was referred for criminal prosecution.

Trieu, who pleaded guilty to altering prescriptions and possessing a trafficable quantity of Xanax, was convicted and sentenced in a Magistrates’ Court in November 2019.

Trieu claimed, in a pre-sentence report tendered to the court, he regularly used Xanax, meth and cocaine to cope with job stress and personal issues.

“We were pharmacists, we self-medicated, we knew what we were doing, it was part of the culture,” Trieu said.

Trieu also claimed he stockpiled and guzzled the Xanax because he feared his stash would run out.

The sentencing magistrate, who handed Trieu a two-year-community correction order, said Trieu’s “personal use” claim was “inconsistent” with his massive drug stash.

The magistrate also said Trieu committed a “planned and organised” attempt to falsify records and Xanax was prevalent in drug overdose deaths, the VCAT hearing was told on Friday.

Glyn Ayres, for the board, highlighted the magistrate’s findings but couldn’t allege Trieu supplied the Xanax to anyone else.

Mr Ayres said Trieu later admitted using only 10mg of Xanax a day — down form the 36mg — and abused meth and cocaine daily.

“The quantity (of stolen Xanax) is extremely large …,” Mr Ayres said.

“This was the largest amount of pills (in the cases that I reviewed) and it involved a considerable breach of trust …

“It’s very clear the conduct constitutes professional misconduct …

“It’s up to him (Trieu) to prove to the tribunal that he’s become a fit and proper person (since the offending).”

Mr Ayres also pointed out the recommended daily maximum dose of Xanax — also known as Alprazolam — was 5 mg.

Trieu, who appeared unrepresented, made a tearful plea that his drug abuse days were behind him and he hoped resume tp his pharmacist career in the near future.

Trieu, who did not contest the allegations, also promised to provide clean drug screens but tribunal Senior Member John Billings said those records should have already been submitted.

Mr Ayres called for Trieu to be reprimanded, have his registration cancelled and be disqualified from reapplying for a further 12 months to “protect the public”.

The tribunal, which “comfortably accepted” the allegations were proven, will deliver its decision at a later date.

[e-mail]