The Iron-Garfield Counties Narcotics Task Force has compared anabolic steroid underground labs (”UGLs”) to dangerous and hazardous methamphetamine labs (”meth labs”). Task force officer Melissa Fritz-Fuller made the comparison when announcing the arrest of Mark Sherratt of Liquipharm Labs. Sherratt allegedly manufactured steroids from raw powders in a clandestine laboratory at his home; Liquipharm steroids and ancillary drugs were reportedly sold directly from his Liberty Lending office in Cedar City, Utah as well as extensively on the Internet.
The dangers association with meth labs are well-known and include risk of contamination with hazardous and toxic chemicals and increased risk of fire and/or explosion. The comparison with UGLs erroneously suggests that the risk of manufacturing underground anabolic steroids is comparable to methamphetamine “cooking” (”Narcotic task force arrest businessman,” July 16).
The lab was similar to one used to make methamphetamines, Fritz-Fuller said, and officers found hazardous powders imported from China to make the steroids, as well as glassware, bottles and labeling.
The powders, testosterone and anabolic steroids found are controlled substances, which can be prosecuted both locally and federally, Fritz-Fuller added.
Law enforcement has unfairly demonized anabolic steroids by making comparisons between anabolic steroid users and methamphetamine/cocaine users. They have tried to convince the general public and the media that anabolic steroids are just as harmful as methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin; similarly, they allege that steroid users represent a dangerous threat to society comparable to users of narcotic drugs.
The credibility of federal and state law enforcement agencies who try to equate anabolic steroids with methamphetamines and narcotic drugs continues to suffer.
Houston DEA Special Agent Zoran Yankovich promotes anti-steroid propaganda with statements such as: “Those arrests today are no different than traditional drug dealers peddling their poison -methamphetamines and cocaine and heroin – on the street corner.”
Similarly, the United States Customs and Border Patrol encourages the suspension of disbelief to justify the steroid witch-hunt, “Steroids are treated like any other illegal drug that threatens the American public – like all illegal narcotics, their sale and possession represent critical links in a larger criminal process, one that funds terrorism, death, and addiction around the world.” Read more
Kristen Mealer, the most recent owner/operator of the underground steroid lab known as “Hell Fire Labs”, has pleaded guilty today to a single count of conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids. Federal agents had raided Kris Mealer’s Arkansas home, his gym Stone County Fitness Center, and a warehouse. Agents discovered 400 grams of raw steroid powder and 6,626 mL of liquid steroids during the steroid bust. Mealer admitted to distributing 185,029 dosage units of various anabolic steroids (”Feds say national steroid ring had Western Pa. connections,” May 12).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Houghton said Mealer agreed to join the steroid ring known as “Hell Fire Labs” in January 2007 and that his participation continued until federal agents busted the operation in February 2008.
Agents raided Mealer’s Arkansas home and fitness center, Stone County Fitness Center. They also raided a warehouse, where Houghton said they discovered an “operational, underground anabolic steroid lab.”
Houghton said the lab was provided by a co-conspirator in Vandergrift in order to convert steroid powder into a usable liquid form. She said another ring member in Indianapolis provided Mealer with 250 e-mail addresses for customers, who ranged from Western Pennsylvania to Washington.
Hell Fire Labs was founded prior to 2006 and previously based in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania. Hell Fire Labs started with the distribution of DNP and other non-controlled ancillary medications. They eventually expanded their product line to include various oral and injectable anabolic steroids. Read more
The proprietor of Illusion Labs, a formerly popular Canadian underground steroid lab (UGL), is going to trial in Bridgewater provincial court on January 12-14, 2009 as part of Operation Scott Free which targeted Illusion Labs and its customers. Kevin Wayne Tanner faces various charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Customs Act that including importing, smuggling, possession, exporting, producing and trafficking anabolic steroids (”Trial time shortened in internet steroids case,” December 2).
Mr. Tanner, 40, faces charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Customs Act and the Food and Drug Act involving raw hormones, steroids and counteracting drugs he was allegedly importing, producing and selling over the internet.
Authorities are also alleging that his home, a car, an investment account and cash seized are proceeds of his crimes.
Investigators found what they estimated to be $400,000 worth of steroids, raw hormone products, lab equipment and $46,000 cash when they searched Mr. Tanner’s Elm Street home in late January 2007.
They allege he used a series of false names, fake addresses, postal outlets and courier companies to buy raw hormone products from China over the internet, which he then processed into anabolic steroids in a lab set up in a spare bedroom in his home and sold to customers across Canada and the United States.
Authorities found 21 types of steroids and four drugs to counteract the side effects of steroid use during the probe. They say Mr. Tanner promoted the sale of his products, under the name Illusion Laboratories, in internet chat rooms and on message boards.
Kevin Tanner was busted as a result of a 15-month investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Bridgewater Police. The investigation originated with the discovery of raw steroid power by CBSA entering Canada from China in April 2005 evenutally resulting in the Nova Scotia steroid bust on January 22, 2007 where an operational steroid lab was discovered in an upstairs bedroom. Operation Scott Free continued to investigate 200 to 300 customers of Illusion Labs in Canada as well as the United States Read more
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Drug Section seized over 2 kilograms of anabolic steroid powder at a residence in Prince George, British Columbia on Halloween. A joint operation between the Prince George RCMP and Canadian Border Services Agency uncovered the steroid powder coming into Canada from China. The recipient of the Chinese steroid powder faces various drug distribution charges including the importation of a controlled substance (anabolic steroids) into Canada (”Police execute Halloween drug bust,” November 1).
In the past two weeks alone, law enforcement in British Columbia has arrested individuals for importing and/or distributing anabolic steroids in Victoria, North Vancouver, and now Prince George. Are the recent steroid busts a harbinger of a major steroid crackdown in British Columbia in preparation for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games? The privilege of hosting the Olympic Games is usually accompanied by increased pressure on the host city (and host country) to step up their anti-doping efforts via law enforcement.
William Llewellyn and Ronny Tuber recently tested 14 anabolic steroid products from various underground labs (UGLs) for toxic heavy metals and quantification of steroid dosing. Twenty-one percent of the steroid products were contaminated with lead, tin, mercury, and/or arsenic; 64% were significantly underdosed or overdosed. Most notably, the names of the UGLs that “failed” the quality control testing analysis were omitted.
MESO-Rx has uncovered the identities of the labs that failed the tests based on a February 28, 2007 Body of Science forum post by Ronny Tober. We contacted William Llewellyn alerting him to this publicly posted information. He wanted readers to realize that there are serious “chain of custody” issues involved in the testing of such underground anabolic steroid products. This is the reason that he is unable to reveal and/or confirm the identities of the products that failed the testing.
The steroid samples tested were tested at the request of a popular Scandinavian board and obtained on the European black market. As such, there are no guarantees that the chain of custody has been preserved. In the underground androgen black market, it is not uncommon for counterfeit products of other underground products to be distributed. The products tested may or may not be original products produced by the company on the label. It is with this understanding that MESO-Rx is releasing the following information.
