Inter-agency operation nets cash and pills

Thursday, 24 May, 2012 - 12:28
http://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/25812-interagency-operation-nets-cash-and-pil.html

An operating pill press, performance and image enhancing drugs, prescription medicines and a large sum of cash were amongst items seized in a series of inter-agency searches of properties across the country this week.

Waikato Crime Services Supervisor, Detective Senior Sergeant Nigel Keall, said the searches of properties in Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch were carried out by Police, Customs and Medsafe investigators as part of Operation Adder.

"Operation Adder involved staff from each of the Government agencies and centred on the investigation into a group who are alleged to have been importing the illicit drugs 4MEC and MDPV, performance and image enhancing drugs and prescription medicines."

"These commodities are pressed into pills or repackaged and sold to customers across the country for considerable profit."

Mr Keall said of particular concern for medical experts was these drugs were being sold with amateur advice as to their use and dosage with little regard for potential consequences.

"Clients also received guidance around drug testing and what substances could be used to avoid positive test results for those involved in high level sport."

"A search of a Hamilton address revealed several kilograms of 4MEC, anabolic steroids, prescription medicines and $178,000 cash. A search of a storage unit in the City revealed the group's pill press and large quantities of, at this stage, unidentified powders."

It is estimated the press had the capacity to produce more than 5000 pills an hour.

"The colour of the pills and logo could be altered to accommodate specific orders and an Auckland based Police Clandestine Laboratory Team has assisted in the safe examination and dismantling of this facility."

"As a result of our enquiries a Hamilton man has been arrested and will appear in the Hamilton District Court today on charges of importing, selling and possession for supply of 4MEC and MDPV."

In Auckland searches of properties located more unidentified pills and performance and image enhancing drugs resulting in the arrest of two men who were charged with Offering to Supply 4MEC.

"In addition to this Christchurch search teams located large quantities of performance and image enhancing drugs and other yet to be identified powders."

"We anticipate further arrests will be made pending results of scientific analysis of the unidentified powders and prescription medicines."

"4MEC and MDPV are Class C Controlled drugs. 4MEC is now the most common substance identified in Ecstasy pills in New Zealand. It has been identified in a number of critical hospital admissions."

"It is estimated that this group is responsible for importing in excess of 21 kilograms of 4MEC. This is sufficient to manufacture over 200 000 pills at a standard street value of $40 each." ($8 Million).

Supervisor Foy, Son Pleads No Contest to HGH Charge

The son of a Ventura County Supervisor pleaded no contest Friday to conspiracy, possession for sale, and manufacture of a controlled substance, namely human growth hormones or HGH.  33-year-old Peter Foy II entered the no contest pleas to the felonies on Friday afternoon.  The judge then found Foy guilty on all counts.  Foy will be sentenced on July 12th.  Foy, the son of Ventura County Supervisor Peter Foy, had been indicted along with another man in connection with the case.  Because the Ventura County DA's budget is controlled by the Board of Supervisors and Foy and DA Greg Totten are political allies, the California Attorney General's Office handled the prosecution to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest.  Foy remains free on his own recognizance pending sentencing.

Steroid Smuggler Facing 3 Years In Jail

http://www.winnipegsun.com/2012/05/06/steroid-smuggler-to-serve-three-years

Federal prosecutors are pushing for a Winnipeg “exercise nut” to serve three years in prison for running an illegal steroid smuggling and trafficking operation for nearly a decade.


 Pavel Louda, 38, pleaded guilty to a smuggling charge under Canada’s Customs Act. He was previously convicted of a similar offence.

In 2002 he spent 24 days in jail after being caught smuggling $12,000 worth of anabolic steroids while returning from a trip to the Czech Republic.

Between September 2001 up until his July 2009 arrest, Louda used Winnipeg post office boxes registered under fake names to have unregulated ’roids sent to him from European nations, according to the Crown.

Between 2004 and 2009, Canada Border Services Agency officers made 198 seizures of steroid packages linked to Louda’s activities, court heard.

“That’s what we caught,” prosecutor Raegan Rankin said.

CBSA investigators also found Louda had made nearly $189,000 in wire transfers to the Czech Republic and other European locations over that same timeframe, said Rankin.

The CBSA embarked on an undercover probe in 2007 after making a considerable number of steroid seizures from smaller-sized mail packages in Montreal and Winnipeg.

They began watching a post office box at a Shoppers Drug Mart on McPhillips Street where Louda was seen picking up and dropping off packages at a steady clip.

They also covertly watched him meet with people in cars at parking lots while carrying packages with him, court heard.

A subsequent raid by CBSA agents of Louda’s home in July 2009 netted them evidence of Louda’s mail-order steroid racket, including “tally sheets” indicating who some of the drugs were going to and who owed him what.

“He’s not just trafficking,” Rankin said. “He orders, he pays, he has (the steroids) delivered to him and then he disburses to other people. He is the whole show,” Rankin told Judge Careena Roller.

At least a few injectable vials seized were filled with alcohol or vegetable oil, court heard. They presented potential major health risks, said the Crown.

“This is what he’s giving people. He’s going to have people inject Crisco, essentially, into their bodies. Did he know that’s what they were? No. But did he care? Clearly not,” said Rankin.

Defence lawyer Iain MacNair described Louda as an “exercise nut” who is “deeply ashamed” of his actions. He only sold to a small group of people he knew personally through bodybuilding circles, MacNair said.

The not-typically addictive drugs don’t present the same “social impact” that cocaine or heroin do, said MacNair. Those who bought them were aware of the health risks, he added.

MacNair asked the court to impose a conditional sentence in the range of nine to 15 months, along with a cash fine.

Roller said she was concerned at Louda’s “audacity” at applying for a pardon on his 2002 conviction in 2009 while still engaged in his smuggling operation.

“I have huge concerns about reoffending,” she said.

Roller reserved her decision.

Claims That gh15 is now Putting Bounties on Mods Heads

Quote from Swlabr:
"Why do I write this? BECAUSE THERE IS A GUY ON HERE WHO CONTINUES TO SPREAD LIES ABOUT KIGTROPIN. ARNOLD JUNIOR, YOU ARE CORRUPT! GH15'S FORUM IS DOING EXTREMELY WELL AND THERE IS A BOUNTY ON YOUR HEAD. DO YOU KNOW WHAT GUYS WILL DO FOR 5 KITS GROWTH HORMONE A MONTH? A LOT, TRUST ME".


http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?topic=424659.msg6100017#msg6100017

What is going on with all of this. A member of GetBig.com is now saying that gh15 has put a bounty on the head of GB Moderator Arnoldjr. Is this for real? If this is bogus I hope gh15 does the right thing and bans this tool Swlabr for life on his forum. If gh15 is doing this for real, he needs to be stopped. This has gone way too far. Threatening peoples lives over a steroid board is way over the top.

Personally with all the controversy surrounding the Kigs why would anyone use them. There are too many good brands out there with solid suppliers for me to even take a chance on a brand with all the controversy. This threat concerns me. This is over the top and dangerous.

One thing I know about Arnoldjr is he has no agenda. He is one of the fairest, level headed mods that I have ever dealt with. Any veteran of this game would have to agree with AJ in saying that Kigs should not be touched merely because of the controversy. They have been faked, and they could easily be faked again. Just so you know AJ a lot of people have your back brother. A lot of us are looking out for the good of this community.

Steroid kingpin pleads guilty to 12 counts

Written by

Paul McKibben

LEBANON — The Batavia Township man who authorities say was the kingpin of a steroid distribution ring pleaded guilty Monday to 12 felony counts in Warren County Common Pleas Court.
Ronald Herbort, 45, pled guilty to five counts of fourth degree felony trafficking in drugs, four counts of second degree felony trafficking in drugs, two counts of second degree felony possession of drugs and one count of first degree felony engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
Prosecutors dropped four counts of possession of drugs and three counts of trafficking in drugs, all felonies. Andy Sievers, an assistant Warren County prosecutor, said the charges were dropped because of Herbort’s cooperation and assistance.
Herbort will be sentenced June 18.
Last November authorities announced they had busted the network that included at least 24 people. The investigation started in January 2010 when authorities received two separate complaints about steroid abuse at the Lebanon YMCA. No steroids were sold inside the YMCA.
Authorities have said the ring operated with Herbort buying products from a Tennessee lab that imported steroid powder from China, mixing it with olive oil and packaging it in vials for distribution. Customers were charged $85 to $125 per vial. Each vial cost $25 to produce.
Herbort’s alleged No. 2 man was 37-year-old Matthew Geraci, formerly of Sycamore Township.
Geraci allegedly took orders for steroids via text messaging and stocked the supply in 18 lockers at a Blue Ash office complex. Each locker was assigned to a distributor-customer. Locker holders would retrieve the steroids, leave payment, lock the locker and notify Geraci via text message.
Geraci is scheduled for a jury trial in June on 30 felony counts of trafficking in drugs, possession of drugs and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
Another key player in the ring was Geraci’s former fiancée – 28-year-old Jessica Howard, formerly of Sycamore Township. She is serving a 5-year sentence after a jury in March convicted her on two counts of trafficking in drugs and one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, all felonies.
Enquirer reporter Janice Morse contributed.