Australian Customs and the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) are telling the press that an Australian-born Caucasian man living in China is the steroid kingpin and mastermind behind a massive scale distribution of anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing drugs to Olympic athletes competing in Beijing China this summer. The speculation is based on a case involving the seizure of 80kg of steroid powder (containing 40kg active ingredients) intercepted by Australian Customs at at Port Botany (Sydney).
Richard Janeczko, Australian Customs national investigations manager, makes the irresponsible and completely unsubstantiated claim that Olympic athletes were the intended recipients of these steroids even though absolutely NO link with Australian athletes has been uncovered (”Olympic doping linked to huge raid,” June 28)!
The review article profiles steroid dealer David Jacobs and his introduction to anabolic steroids, his integration into the bodybuilding scene, his networking with pro football players, his decision to import and manufacture anabolic steroids, his steroid bust, the dismantling of the Texas steroid network, and his ostracism from the bodybuilding community (”Plano resident’s steroid distribution ring was one of the largest in U.S.,” April 24).
I recommend reading the complete article for a better understanding of the chronology and scope of the Texas steroid investigation. Below are a few excerpts.
David Jacobs’ decision to manufacture and distribute anabolic steroids:
At Lewisville Lake’s Party Cove one weekend, he met his first pro bodybuilder, Art Atwood. The two became friends, and Mr. Atwood helped train the up-and-coming rookie.
Both men were taking steroids, but were unhappy with shoddy Mexican imports.
Mr. Jacobs went online and found a solution: recipes for steroids using raw Chinese powder. Mr. Jacobs soon parlayed his knowledge of Asia, gleaned during his Nokia business trips, into contacts with English-speaking middlemen to the Chinese steroid powder factories.
Sloppy packaging that led to steroid bust:
On March 19, 2007, the United Parcel Service intercepted a soggy package sent from Mr. Jacobs’ Plano home, bound for Wichita, Kan. When officials opened the box, they found a broken glass vial of what turned out to be steroids.
Authorities arrested the man in Kansas who had ordered steroids from Mr. Jacobs, court documents say. Jamie Mongeau, an amateur bodybuilder, told investigators that Mr. Jacobs was his supplier.
Ostracism from bodybuilding community:
Brian Dobson, owner of Arlington’s MetroFlex gym, which produced eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman and where Mr. Jacobs used to train with other bodybuilding friends, said that since his bust, Mr. Jacobs has been ostracized by the bodybuilding community he once serviced.
“A lot of people hate him,” Mr. Dobson said. “To a lot of the other guys who were his buddies, once he got caught, he became the black plague.”
The full text of the article is available on the Dallas Morning News website.
James Edward Moore, Jr., was indicted for importation of anabolic steroids and possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids on February 27, 2008. Moore admitted to ordering steroids from IP China sending money via Western Union on at least six occasions to Zhijum He of China. The charges listed in Moore’s indictment were based on thousands of vials and ampules of steroids and thousands of steroid tablets found at Moore’s residence, storage lockers, and three intercepted packages linked to Moore.
The investigation of Moore began in late August 2007 when the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) opened an incoming package addressed to Jimmy Moore, Jr.; the steroid shipment was sent via International Express Mail by Sany Zeng of Chungsa, Hunan (China).
A second incoming package from China on October 22, 2007 was examined by federal authorities under an anticipatory search warrant. This International Express Mail shipment contained various anabolic steroids and growth hormone, including products labelled Test 400, British Dragon Trenabol Depot, Primobolan QV 100, Teston QV 200, and HGH marked Getropin 10IU Recombinant Human Growth Hormone.
The third incoming package was ordered from AlinShop and shipped by Gore Elena from the Moldova Republic. It contained eight 5mL sachets containing testosterone cypionate and eight sachets containing testosterone enanthate. All sachets were marked “Aromathekaypoil.”
Moore waived his Miranda Rights and told investigators he sold the anabolic steroids primarily to bodybuilders at the Santa Cruz Gold’s Gym and used them for personal medical problems e.g. “to fix his hormone levels.” He reported that he was disabled due to cardiomyopathy and kidney problems. Due to the sheer quantity of anabolic steroids discovered during the steroid bust, the Gold’s Gym in Santa Cruz has the most “jacked” bodybuilders in the country.
Moore resided at a house for recovering drug and alcohol addicts where he was manager and caretaker of the facility.
