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US prosecutors in Virginia are scrutinizing Meta Platforms, formerly known as Facebook, for potentially enabling and benefiting from the unlawful sale of drugs on its social media platforms.

This investigation involves the issuance of subpoenas last year as part of a criminal grand jury inquiry into Meta’s operations. The probe focuses on determining the extent of drug-related content and transactions facilitated through Meta’s services, with assistance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in gathering necessary records and information.

Meta has responded to the allegations, saying, “The sale of illicit drugs is against our policies and we work to find and remove this content from our services. Meta proactively cooperates with law enforcement authorities to help combat the sale and distribution of illicit drugs.”

This investigation comes against the backdrop of previous legal challenges faced by Meta. Notably, a lawsuit filed in Delaware last year accused the company of failing to adequately address issues of human trafficking and child sexual exploitation on Facebook and Instagram.