Illegal steroids a lucrative and burgeoning black market business for bikies, say police

[mugzy]

ILLEGAL steroids, including some intended for pigs, greyhounds and sheep, are providing profitable low-risk opportunities for organised crime, NSW police say.

With lesser prison sentences for those caught dealing and using steroids - as opposed to other illicit drugs such as methamphetamines or cocaine - police say bikie gangs are increasingly delving into the burgeoning and lucrative black market in performance-enhancing drugs.

In 2009-10 more steroids were seized in Australia than ever before. In just one year, detections at the country's borders leapt 74 per cent to 2695, including steroids, Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and selected hormones. The most common was testosterone.

Most entered the country in parcels posted from the US, Thailand, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, China and Britain, or were carried by a plane passenger, with methods of concealment becoming increasingly sophisticated.

''In a materialistic society that we live in now - the body-conscious - a lot of these individuals want to look good, want to be strong,'' the gangs squad commander Detective Superintendent, Arthur Katsogiannis, said.

''And … because they are not restricted substances the penalties aren't the same and they are lighter penalties. Some of them will only be a 12-months [good behaviour] bond.''

NSW police want the state to adopt the same harsh penalties that exist in Victoria, where anabolic steroids are categorised the same as hard drugs and dealing attracts jail sentences of up to 15 years.

''[Victoria's] is a good legislative framework and certainly sends out a stronger deterrent to those who use or distribute steroids,'' he said.

While the primary markets for steroids remained the security industry and gyms, police were concerned about new users who did not know the dangers and could be unwittingly consuming drugs designed for animals.

This month, a drug raid on five Sydney properties allegedly uncovered substances intended for sheep, pigs and greyhounds.

Steroid varieties could also be behind some violent outbursts that end in assault and injury, he said.

''We believe through some of the examples we've been confronted with that steroid abuse by some of these outlaw motorcycle gangs contributes to the serious violent incidents that we've had.''

For career criminals and outlaw motorcycle gangs, steroids were a ''high profit for low penalty-risk crime'', Superintendent Katsogiannis said.

 

[TheLawnJanitor]

Lower penalties in Aussie land eh?

 

[PillarofBalance]

ILLEGAL steroids, including some intended for pigs, greyhounds and sheep, are providing profitable low-risk opportunities for organised crime, NSW police say.

With lesser prison sentences for those caught dealing and using steroids - as opposed to other illicit drugs such as methamphetamines or cocaine - police say bikie gangs are increasingly delving into the burgeoning and lucrative black market in performance-enhancing drugs.

In 2009-10 more steroids were seized in Australia than ever before. In just one year, detections at the country's borders leapt 74 per cent to 2695, including steroids, Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and selected hormones. The most common was testosterone.

Most entered the country in parcels posted from the US, Thailand, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, China and Britain, or were carried by a plane passenger, with methods of concealment becoming increasingly sophisticated.

''In a materialistic society that we live in now - the body-conscious - a lot of these individuals want to look good, want to be strong,'' the gangs squad commander Detective Superintendent, Arthur Katsogiannis, said.

''And … because they are not restricted substances the penalties aren't the same and they are lighter penalties. Some of them will only be a 12-months [good behaviour] bond.''

NSW police want the state to adopt the same harsh penalties that exist in Victoria, where anabolic steroids are categorised the same as hard drugs and dealing attracts jail sentences of up to 15 years.

''[Victoria's] is a good legislative framework and certainly sends out a stronger deterrent to those who use or distribute steroids,'' he said.

While the primary markets for steroids remained the security industry and gyms, police were concerned about new users who did not know the dangers and could be unwittingly consuming drugs designed for animals.

This month, a drug raid on five Sydney properties allegedly uncovered substances intended for sheep, pigs and greyhounds.

Steroid varieties could also be behind some violent outbursts that end in assault and injury, he said.

''We believe through some of the examples we've been confronted with that steroid abuse by some of these outlaw motorcycle gangs contributes to the serious violent incidents that we've had.''

For career criminals and outlaw motorcycle gangs, steroids were a ''high profit for low penalty-risk crime'', Superintendent Katsogiannis said.

Ok so the highlights are - People should do more jail time for being body conscious and then of course the cliche connection to violence in a sentence that begins with "we believe" and should end with but doesn't end with "but have absolutely no causal link between the two. These never get old.

 

[400Lb Gorilla]

never really understood why steroids were illegal to begin with. i understand why different sports authorities would want to ban them. but why bother banning them for everyone else?

could easily make money off taxing AAS and making them a selective drug(like Viagra) where you need a prescription but not necessarily a disease, condition, etc. to get a prescription. that way if you decide to go that route atleast you would have a Doctor to tell you HOW to properly use them. this would more than likely mitigate any of the more common "side effects" of steroid use

i am not well educated on AAS though so i could just be fucking this up lol

 

[danrojigga]

I agree with you gorilla 100%

 

[PillarofBalance]

never really understood why steroids were illegal to begin with. i understand why different sports authorities would want to ban them. but why bother banning them for everyone else?

could easily make money off taxing AAS and making them a selective drug(like Viagra) where you need a prescription but not necessarily a disease, condition, etc. to get a prescription. that way if you decide to go that route atleast you would have a Doctor to tell you HOW to properly use them. this would more than likely mitigate any of the more common "side effects" of steroid use

i am not well educated on AAS though so i could just be fucking this up lol

I agree with you gorilla 100%

Ron Paul 2012

 

[Cabo Jo]

Haven't had any violent outburst,but the mud puddles get me excited.

 

[Lil Ed]

Ron Paul 2012

Hell Yeah!!!! this bs must end! ********Ron Paul 2012**********

 

[Mindlesswork]

Ron Paul 2012

This

And he better make weed legal too lol

Australia had it right before...low penalties and low risk but now want to treat AAS as hard drugs? Damn, that's as bad as the USA!! Regulate it and tax it and make it available by a script and that'll keep the crime out of it