Who runs these pain clinics?

TAMPA - The Hillsborough County Sheriff is calling for quick action to tackle a growing problem with pain clinics.

Law enforcement is working with Hillsborough County Commissioners on an emergency ordinance that would be a stop-gap measure until tougher state laws take effect later this year.

The emergency ordinance will be considered at a Wednesday county commission meeting.

In the meantime, the sheriff's office is attacking the problem on the street.

Hillsborough County's Sheriff says the problem with pain management clinics is painfully obvious.

They provided undercover video that detectives say shows people dealing OxyContin and other painkillers -- right in a clinic parking lot.

"In just a months' time we've made 87 arrests, over 192 charges and we have 50 additional warrants," said Major Donna Lusczynski, with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

The recent arrests look impressive, but the problem continues to grow.

"The oxycodone pills, the illicit prescription drugs in Hillsborough County now are the new crack," said one undercover officer.

While the sheriff's office tackles the street-level drug dealing, they say that following the money to dealers higher up is more difficult.

"It's very complex. We deal with a lot of HIPAA laws and a lot of things that impact our ability to get records," Lusczynski said.

It's also hard for detectives to find out who's really in charge.

"Often, the owners name switches a lot. They'll change names to protect them and even move to different locations," she said.

The emergency ordinance would force them to be more accountable, to provide information about the doctor and the people running the pain clinics -- because new ones are popping up everywhere.

The tougher local ordinance would make law enforcement's job a lot easier. But even if it's passed next week, it probably wouldn't take effect until the middle of June.