The opioid crisis, an ever-increasing focus of the Obama administration and 2016 Presidential Primary field, has highlighted the efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to address diversion of pharmaceuticals classified as controlled substances, which has long been a major DEA priority. Criminal and civil cases brought or settled by DEA and DOJ show the substantial risks involved for those in the chain of distribution of pharmaceuticals subject to the Controlled Substances Act. The following is a practical summary of these issues.