Worldwide steroid sting catches Australian bodybuilders in its net

By Jacquelin Magnay

A FORMER Mr Australia, a former Miss World Figure and a Manhunt International model are among 29 Australians caught up in a huge 18-month international crackdown on steroids and other sports drugs from China.

Raids in 10 countries have shut down a widespread internet drugs trade and rocked the blackmarket in sports drugs.

Doug Nicoll, the national investigations manager of Australian Customs, said the "overwhelming flood of performance image enhancing drugs into Australia has now been arrested to a steady stream".

The 29 Australians charged include personal trainers and body builders. Among them are Glen Purtell, 44, who was Mr Australia 1995, and Diane Shipway, 39, a former Miss World Figure, who have pleaded guilty to importing steroids. Brendan Brophy, 29, a model from the Gold Coast who ran second in the 2003 Australia Manhunt International model of the year, has also been charged.

With the Beijing Olympics looming, the United States led a sting operation involving Australia, Germany, Denmark, Mexico, Canada, Belgium, Sweden and Thailand. It centred on the distribution of bulk raw drugs from three Chinese locations. The Chinese Government co-operated with the investigation, allowing US officers to infiltrate one laboratory that was producing human growth hormone.

The focus was on smuggling of drugs, but the raids led to electronic evidence of buyers' names. The World Anti-Doping Agency and the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority are collaborating with customs to see if any sportspeople are involved.

The chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency, Dick Pound, said he hoped authorities could turn over a list of names in time for the agency to take action against any athletes before the Beijing Olympics, which start next August.

Rusty Payne, a spokesman for the US Drug Enforcement Administration, said: "Everybody recognised the timing. We don't work with our heads in the sand. Olympic officials have been very interested in this and are obviously very pleased."

The US operation, called Operation Raw Deal, resulted in the closure of 56 steroid laboratories, the seizure of 11.4 million units of steroids and 242 kilograms of raw steroid powder as well as $US6.5 million ($7.3 million) in cash.

In the final stages of the operation this month, 124 people were arrested, the Drug Enforcement Administration announced in Washington.

In Australia, Operation Kasha resulted in more than 1400 separate seizures of steroids, growth hormone and other performance and image-enhancing drugs, the execution of 145 search and seizure warrants, and the charging of 29 people with a range of prohibited import offences. Most of the 200 members of Australian Custom's investigative unit were involved in Operation Kasha.

"The international operation demonstrates the seriousness with which authorities throughout the world are treating steroid smuggling," Mr Nicoll said.

Operation Kasha involved raids on properties throughout Australia. Many of those charged in Australia are still before the courts.

Brophy faces jail if convicted of importing and trafficking steroids and human growth hormone. Brisbane District Court heard earlier this month that he imported growth hormones and steroids four times in August and September last year.

He is on bail awaiting trial and is yet to enter a plea.

Glen Purtell and Diane Shipway pleaded guilty to importing anabolic steroid clomifene citrate and more than 100 vials of human growth hormone after customs intercepted mail and conducted raids on their Brisbane premises. They were fined $14,000.

The Sydney bodybuilding brothers Johnathon Kyriacou and Adrian Kyriacou were fined a total of $34,000 for importing hundreds of vials of steroids when they appeared in the Sydney Downing Centre local court in May.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald