( CNN ) -- United Parcel Service will forfeit $ 40 million in payments it received from illegal online pharmacies and take steps to make sure such businesses no longer use the shipper 's services , the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced Friday . The steps are spelled out in a `` non-prosecution agreement '' between the shipper and the U.S. attorney 's office in San Francisco , the agency said . It said UPS was aware that , between 2003 and 2010 , some online pharmacies were using it to ship controlled substances and other prescription drugs without valid prescriptions . `` UPS has cooperated fully with the investigation and has already taken steps to ensure that illegal Internet pharmacies can no longer use its services to ship drugs , '' the DEA said in a release . UPS will pay the $ 40 million penalty and strengthen its compliance `` with respect to Internet pharmacy shippers , '' Susan Rosenberg , a UPS spokeswoman , said in an e-mailed statement . `` We believe we have an obligation and responsibility to help curb the sale and shipment of drugs sold through illegal Internet pharmacies , '' she said . CNN 's Devon Sayers and Chelsea J. Carter contributed to this report .
The company says it was aware online retailers were using it to ship controlled substances . The shipments by illegal online pharmacies occurred between 2003 and 2005 , the company says . UPS says it will pay the $ 40 million penalty .