By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – A senior U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration official improperly granted preferential treatment for a pharmaceutical firm that sought a quota rise to make more drugs. The Justice Department’s Internal Watchdog stated on Thursday.

Inspector General Michael Horowitz, in an investigative summary of one page, stated that the unnamed official “misused” their official positions by giving preferential treatment the pharmaceutical company and urging subordinates to accept the quota rise.

According to the report, the increase was requested from a second former DEA officer who had worked for the company.

Horowitz said that the ex-DEA agent at the core of the investigation was also planning to retire and work for the drug company.

According to the report, “The senior DEA officials misused their position at DEA by giving preference treatment to a request made by the pharmaceutical firm that employed him.” The senior DEA official pressured subordinates into approving the request and gave them instructions.

A spokesperson from the DEA didn’t immediately comment on these findings.

It is not clear from the report of the inspector general that the company involved was identified or whether the senior officer actually went there.

The Justice Department inspector general does not have the legal authority or the power to demand testimony from employees. Therefore, the official could retire and refused to appear in question.

In addition, the Department declined to pursue the person who offered preferential treatment to drugmaker.

In recent years, the DEA was criticized for helping to exacerbate America’s ongoing opioid crisis.

A quota system is used by the agency to guarantee that drug producers are capable of producing enough drugs to satisfy medical, scientific, and industrial requirements.

Schedules I and II are exempted from the quotas.

Critics accuse the DEA, despite limiting the annual quota, of not taking proactive steps to reduce the US supply of painkillers.