Law enforcement officials say the prescription pill abuse problem is expanding, taking hold of the valley, and taking lives in the process.

Officials tell NEWS9 many of the pills hit the streets when illegitimate doctors prescribe them to dealers for a cash payback.

For the addicts, when money runs out to feed that pill addiction, they're turning to heroin, which in today's world has become a cheaper, but similar high.

U.S. District Attorney William Ihlenfeld said the pill, heroin, and drug quantities in the valley are about location. Specifically, he means the Northern Panhandle, which is squeezed between 2 large states, bisected by Interstate 70, and less than a day’s drive from 60 percent of the nation's population. He said that makes it a perfect meeting point for dealers.

"Some of the drug traffickers think, ‘hey let's go to the Ohio Valley, to Steubenville, or to Wheeling, or to some of the other smaller towns in this area, where we're really not going to be on the radar of law enforcement,’" said Ihlenfeld.

But in fact, Ihlenfeld said it's quite the opposite. In 2012, nationwide only 5 counties were deemed high intensity drug trafficking areas. Four of them are in our region-- Hancock, Brooke, Ohio and Marshall counties. That designation means added money for police trying to prevent the pill problem.

"Now there's a group of guys that are federal, state and local officers, county and city, combating the single most devastating problem we have," said Marshall County Sheriff Kevin Cecil.

The prescription pill abuse issues have joined heroin at epidemic levels. They affect so many people in many facets of life, dealer or not.

Cecil believes 90 percent of the crimes his office handles deal with traffickers and desperate addicts.

"You have to find a way to get your money. This is where we come into play. This is what affects us most. We have burglaries, b & e's, robberies," said Cecil.

Pharmacies have become constant targets. Their businesses, and well-being, are constantly threatened by the high demand for cash and drugs.

"It's a shame, because you almost have to have a fortress now. You know, people are arming themselves," said Cecil.

"We cannot arrest our way out of this problem. We cannot just continually arrest and send people to jail and expect the problem to go away, and as a prosecutor, I realize that. That's why we need to be proactive in educating our youth and also the adults in the community," said Ihlenfeld.

NEWS9’s Prescription Drug Abuse Complete 3-Part Series:

-Target 9 investigates prescription drug abuse epidemic (Part 1 of 3)

-Target 9 investigates prescription drug abuse epidemic (Part 2 of 3)

-Target 9 investigates prescription drug abuse epidemic (Part 3 of 3)