Two men fined $60,000 for illegally importing steroids

A 29-year-old Armadale man and 26-year-old Mount Pleasant man have been ordered to pay a combined fine and legal costs of $74,946 for illegally importing approximately 745 grams of steroids into Australia.

On 5 September 2012, Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) officers at the Sydney International Mail Facility selected a package that arrived from China for further examination.

The parcel was found to contain two decorative Chinese wall hangings with two snap lock bags containing a white powder concealed inside. Further testing of the powder returned positive results for approximately 530 grams of Testosterone Benzoate.

On 25 September 2012, ACBPS officers at the Air Cargo facility in Perth intercepted another package that arrived from Hong Kong. When the package was examined, officers found three snap lock bags containing a total of approximately 215 grams of Testosterone Benzoate concealed inside three lint rollers.

On 4 October 2012, ACBPS officers executed search and seizure warrants at the two men’s residential addresses where approximately 450ml of steroids and a range of equipment used to manufacture steroids were seized.

ACBPS National Manager Cargo Operations, Jagtej Singh, said: “The heavy fines these men have incurred is a stark warning to others that illegal importation of steroids is taken very seriously by Customs and Border Protection.”

The 29-year-old has been fined $30,000 and $6,346 in costs for two counts of importing prohibited imports in contravention of s233(1)(b) of the Customs Act 1901 (the Act).

The 26-year-old has been fined $30,000 and $8,600 in costs for two counts of aiding and abetting the importation of prohibited imports in contravention of s236 of the Act.

Australian Customs website – http://www.customs.gov.au/site/Twomenfined60000forillegallyimportingsteroids.asp  – 11 October 2013