Because, Tandy said, "there are hundreds of thousands of sites" online, virtually all cloaking their identities.

"You don't know where to find them. They could shut down one day and pop up under a new name the next."

JAIPUR, INDIA

Akhil's sister, Julie, was in charge of marketing, or spam.

Sir,

We wish to introduce ourselves as wholesale distributor and supplier of generic and branded medicines manufactured by top multinational pharmaceuticals companies of India. We can drop ship to your customers in US 100% delivery without any customs problems.

A reply came the next day, from discountmedsonline.com:

Hi Julie,

What is the total delivery time frame? Will you be carrying Xanax, Ativan, Diazapam, Ambien, anytime soon? I may be very interested in your business.

Thank you.

CHESTER

To trace the suspicious Valium found at the airport, Carlos and two local officers, Chester Police Sgt. Joe Bail and Delaware County investigator Michael Boudwin, drove to a storefront at 214 Lamokin St., the return address on the package.

The storefront's owner met them there.

Richard Dabney was a bald, heavyset, 61-year-old ex-con with drug and bank robbery arrests dating back to 1969. Carlos expected Dabney to lie.

Indeed, he told them a story: A mysterious Indian he had met at a Radnor computer store had offered him $3 a package to use his Airborne account. The guy paid cash, and Dabney never asked what was inside.