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 said on Friday it has filed a lawsuit alleging that pharmacy chain operator Walgreens knowingly filled millions of prescriptions that lacked a legitimate medical purpose.

The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Walgreens accusing the drugstore giant of filling millions of illegitimate prescriptions across the country since 2012.

The U.S. Justice Department is accusing Walgreens of filling millions of prescriptions in the last decade and more without a legitimate purpose, including for dangerous amounts of opioids, according to a lawsuit filed this week.