Nassau County police arrested 28 people Wednesday allegedly connected to an illegal prescription drug ring in Oceanside.

Nassau Deputy Police Chief Richard McGuire said an officer investigating a 2005 robbery at Howard Topchik's Terrace Pharmacy noticed an excessive supply of Vicodin at the store. The observation led to a separate investigation of Topchik, who has since retired.

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice claims Topchik filled prescriptions regardless of their condition.

"Some were written in crayon, some were photocopied," she said.

Topchik, 73, allegedly earned more than $7 million over 5 years before he retired in 2006. Each Vicodin pill has a street value of $2 to $4, and it is gaining popularity amongst pill abusers, drug counselors said.

The other 27 arrests were of Topchik's suspected customers.

Rice said she expects more arrests to come.

Topchik faces up to 20 years in prison, if convicted.