A 46-year-old Western Australian gym owner has been charged by the Australian Border Force (ABF) after officers located more than eight kilograms and 1,000 vials of performance enhancing drugs.
The man is allegedly linked to 39 consignments seized by ABF found to contain performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs), one consignment of a commercial pill press and 10 consignments of commercial PIED labelling and packaging.
On 30 August 2023, officers executed a search warrant at a residence in the Perth southern suburb of Warnbro and seized approximately 1,000 vials of various liquid PIEDs, 2.8 kilograms of powdered PIEDs, counterfeit PIED packaging, commercial manufacturing equipment, a bag containing a large number of PO Box keys, domestic mail packaging material and approximately 25 ABF-issued seizure notices.
A simultaneous warrant was also executed at a nearby gym owned by the man, and items including a laptop and more vials of PIEDs were seized.
The man allegedly admitted to importing the prohibited drugs and having made orders for more which are yet to arrive in Australia.
ABF Acting Superintendent Matthew Anthony said the arrest is a strong warning to anyone thinking about pushing the limits of the law by repeatedly importing prohibited drugs.
“Performance and image enhancing drugs, such as steroids, are regulated in Australia for very good reasons as they can have serious health impacts for users,” Acting Superintendent Anthony said.
“This is a sizable seizure, and I commend the dedication of the officers involved in the investigation.
“The Australian border will remain a very unfriendly place for those who seek to undermine its integrity.”
The man appeared in Perth Magistrates court on 31 August 2023 and was remanded on bail until his next appearance, charged with seven offences contrary to S233BAA(4) of the Customs Act 1901 (Cth).
Vision of the search and arrest can be viewed and downloaded here.
