U.S. Attorney Buchanan Goes After Seller Of Device Used To Beat Drug Test

U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan filed criminal charges against Puck Technology, which sells devices that it claims can be used to beat workplace drug tests.

The U.S. Attorney in Pittsburgh is prosecuting the California company because the devices were allegedly sold in the Pittsburgh area as well as around the country from October of 2005 to May of 2008.

Buchanan filed criminal charges against the company claiming the products are drug paraphernalia and accused Puck Technology of defrauding the government and conspiracy.

Court papers point to testimonials on the company's Web site from customers claiming they were able to pass drug tests by using the devices to land jobs or keep jobs, some in safety-sensitive agencies like a department of transportation.

Prosecutors said undercover federal agents bought devices called the Whizzinator and Number One and had them shipped to Western Pennsylvania.

Although a spokesperson for Puck Technology said the company doesn’t do interviews, the court will schedule a hearing where the company is expected to plead guilty.

Channel 11 reported on an incident in 2006 at a convenience store in McKeesport when a man and a woman were charged with criminal mischief and disorderly conduct for asking a clerk to microwave one of the devices to heat it to body temperature so the woman could use it to pass a drug test.

The clerk called police thinking it was a severed penis.