AP source: DEA joins Jackson death investigation

[July 02, 2009]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- A law enforcement official in Washington says the Drug Enforcement Administration is joining the investigation of Michael Jackson's death.

The official says the Los Angeles Police Department asked the DEA to step in because of the federal agency's resources and knowledge of illicit drug manufacturers known as "pill mills." The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the investigation.

The federal agency would play a role in looking at the doctors and whether they were registered with the DEA to prescribe drugs. Also, investigators will try to determine the sources of the drugs doctors prescribed for Jackson or his associates to see whether there is a trafficking pattern.

[Associated Press; By MICHELE SALCEDO]

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