The U.S. Justice Department on Friday accused pharmacy chain operator Walgreens Boots Alliance of contributing to the U.S. opioid epidemic by filling millions of unlawful prescriptions for addictive painkillers and other drugs.

The U.S. Justice Department has filed a lawsuit accusing Walgreens of filling millions of prescriptions for Americans over the last decade and more without a legitimate purpose, including for dangerous amounts of opioids.

The Justice Department has filed a civil complaint against Walgreens which operates more than 8,000 pharmacies throughout the United States alleging that they