"Operation Gear Grinder": The supply appears to be Mexican and the demand appears to be American !
US makes major steroid bust
16/12/2005 08:34 - (SA)
Washington- The US Drug Enforcement Agency on Thursday announced the arrest of a leading anabolic steroids manufacturer in what it called the biggest crackdown in US history on performance-enhancing drugs.
Albert Saltiel-Cohen, owner of three of the world's largest anabolic steroid manufacturers, and four other steroid trafficking suspects, were arrested after a 21-month investigation, the DEA said in a statement.
The arrest of Saltiel-Cohen was part of "Operation Gear Grinder," which the DEA described as the "largest steroid enforcement operation in US history" and involved the cooperation of the Mexican Federal Agency of Investigation (AFI).
The probe targeted eight major steroid manufacturers, their owners, and trafficking associates, the DEA said, adding that 82% of the steroids seized and analysed during the operation were of "Mexican origin."
It said the eight companies sold their steroids over the internet and had a combined $56m in total US steroid sales a year.
The DEA said the makers marketed their products as being developed and sold for use in animals. They were smuggled into the United States and shipped to customers.
Among the steroids produced by the firms were nandrolone, testosterone decanoate, nandrolone decanoate, testosterone enanthate, stanozolol and methandrostenolone, the DEA said.
source: http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/More_Sport/0,,2-9-32_1851783,00.html
------------------
Dec 15, 2005 5:16 pm US/Pacific
DEA Announces Biggest Steroid Bust Ever
(CBS Newspath) SAN DIEGO The Drug Enforcement Administration has announced the largest steroid bust in history. DEA Administrator Karen P. Tandy announced the arrest of Albert Saltiel-Cohen, owner of three of the world's largest anabolic steroid manufacturers, as part of the largest steroid enforcement operation in U.S. history.
82 percent of all DEA-seized steroids in U.S. are manufactured in Mexico; the large majority of those come from targets in "Operation Gear Grinder."
Operation Gear Grinder is a 21-month Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation that targeted eight major steroid manufacturing companies, their owners, and their trafficking associates.
This investigation was a collaborative effort involving DEA, numerous U.S state and local law enforcement agencies, and the Mexican Federal Agency of Investigation (AFI).
The products were primarily ordered over the Internet and shipped across the border.
The indictments mark the first time Mexican companies have been indicted for trafficking in the United States.
source: http://cbs5.com/national/local_story_349201808.html
--------------------
----------------
-------------
Mexican Drug Makers Indicted for Selling Steroids
Thursday, December 15, 2005
WASHINGTON — A U.S. grand jury has indicted eight Mexican drug makers on charges they sold steroids to Americans via the Internet in what the Drug Enforcement Administration said Thursday was its largest operation against suppliers of the banned substances.
Indictments in U.S. District Court in San Diego include charges against the eight companies and 11 executives after a 21-month investigation, the DEA said. The businesses sell $56 million worth of steroids to U.S. customers annually, the DEA said.
Alberto Saltiel-Cohen, described by the DEA as a Mexican citizen who owns three of the companies, was arrested in San Diego on Wednesday, the agency said.
Two people suspected of trafficking in steroids were arrested in San Diego and two others were picked up in Laredo, Texas, the DEA said.
Federal agents also have identified more than 2,000 people in the United States who bought steroids from the companies over the Internet. Importing anabolic steroids can be a felony.
"Drug traffickers prey on the belief that steroids enhance ability, but steroids only rob that ability, as we have seen so often from the affected lives of too many youth and professional athletes," DEA Administrator Karen P. Tandy said.
The DEA said 82 percent of the steroids it tests in its laboratories come from Mexico. The indicted companies account for more than half the Mexican supply, it said.
According to the DEA, the steroid manufacturers tried to mask their intent by marketing their products for use in animals. The companies set up Web sites and facilitated ordering via e-mail, the DEA said.
Saltiel-Cohen's companies, Quality Vet, Denkall and Animal Power, are significant U.S. suppliers of Nandrolone, the DEA said. Quality Vet's English-language Web site indicates its products are for veterinary use only.
The other companies and their products are:
-- Laboratorios Tornel, Testosterone Decanoate.
-- Laboratorios Brovel, Nandrolone Decanoate.
-- Pet's Pharma, Testosterone Enanthate.
-- Syd Group, Stanozolol.
-- Loffler, Methandrostenolone.
source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178853,00.html
<< Home