When Richard Janeczko, Australian Customs national investigations manager, intercepted 80 kilograms of anabolic steroid powder in Sydney in June 2008, he immediately suspected that Australian Olympic athletes were the intended recipients of these steroids even though absolutely NO link with Australian athletes had been uncovered.

But when Australian Customs intercepted 150 bottle bottles of testosterone and Deca Durabolin disguised as “Gay Lube Oil,” Janeczko was quick to emphasize how unlikely it would be for Australia’s Olympic athletes to use steroids marketed as “Gay Lube Oil” (”Gay lube oil contained banned steroids,” July 30).

“The bulk of the people we investigate are actually not elite sports people. The people that want to enhance their image either gym people, security guards, bikies.”

It is thought that Janeczko believes Australian athletes only use steroids with names like “British Dragon” and “Animal Power” with bulldogs, horses, bulls, dragons (and of course kangaroos) on the labels.

Australia Customs was not fooled by the creativity and professionalism of the gay lube steroid smuggling operation. The concealed steroids originated in Thailand and entered Australia through a variety of means.

“These goods are found mainly coming through the mail, express mail, some of them have come in through passengers, others have come in through people carrying them in,” he said.

It should be noted that Australia Customs will not be deterred from examining products they deem “a bit yucky” in their search for illegal steroids (”Slick operation smuggling steroids as ‘gay lube oil’ halted,” July 30).

“I think that they’re going for the presumption that customs won’t examine the goods, mainly because we may actually think it’s gay lube oil.

“Secondly they might think we won’t examine it because…it’s a bit yucky or whatever.”

Australian Customs is pressuring Thai authorities to shutdown the producer of the steroids seized in the smuggling operation.