WASHINGTON (CNN) - A federal judge Thursday granted a request by the Food and Drug Administration to shut down Rx Depot, a popular Internet company that sells cheaper prescription drugs from Canada.

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The government's move has proved controversial because of growing support from senior citizens who have been able to save money on prescription drugs used to combat a wide range of ailments.

Officials have estimated more than one million U.S. citizens buy Canadian drugs through Internet storefront operations.

The FDA, however, said the lack of controls on the drugs represents a threat to public safety. The judge agreed.

"This court is not unsympathetic to the predicament faced by individuals who cannot afford their prescription drugs at U.S. prices," wrote U.S. District Court Judge Claire Eagan in Tulsa, Okla.

"However, the defendants are able to offer lower prices only because they facilitate illegal activity determined by Congress to harm the public interest," Eagan said.