[Maccabee]

http://www.dea.gov/pubs/pressrel/pr121505.html

News Release [printer friendly page]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 2005

DEA Leads Largest Steroid Bust in History
82 percent of all DEA-seized and analyzed steroids in U.S. are manufactured in Mexico; Large majority of those come from targets in Operation Gear Grinder

Steroids confiscated in the investigation were marketed to be used with animals via public web sites.

DEC 15--WASHINGTON, DC – DEA Administrator Karen P. Tandy today 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. 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. By reviewing the sources of all seized and analyzed steroids submitted to the DEA’s forensic laboratories, DEA intelligence analysts and diversion investigators found that 82 percent of the steroids seized and analyzed are of Mexican origin. A large majority of those 82 percent seized and analyzed steroids originate from the eight companies identified in Operation Gear Grinder. These businesses conducted their sales via the Internet, and DEA estimates their combined total U.S. steroid sales are $56 million per year.

“Steroid traffickers market their product by luring young people with promises of enhanced performance and appearance,” DEA Administrator Karen P. Tandy said, “but what they don’t say is the illicit use of these harmful drugs can destroy the very bodies that they are supposed to improve. 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.”
Operation Gear Grinder is part of the Virtual Enforcement Initiative, a coordinated DEA effort to target illegal Internet drug trafficking, which was launched in April with Operation Cyber Chase and continued in September with Operation CYBERx. DEA’s cyber initiative acknowledges drug traffickers are embracing the use of 21 st century technology to further spread their virus into U.S. communities.
The steroid manufacturers involved in this investigation tried to mask the true consumers of these products by marketing them as being developed and sold for use in animals. The veterinary manufacturers (“laboratorios”) took notice of the demand for anabolic steroids and created a marketing strategy tailored to the needs of the U.S. consumer – to include high-quality products and internet websites. Communications via the Internet and parcel distributions were the core of these companies’ operations. The websites showcase the products and offer an email address to exchange prices and tracking numbers, and give ordering and payment instructions.
These eight companies used U.S.-based email addresses and listed each manufacturer utilizing a business website to place their products in the hands of American consumers. Some manufacturers provided direct referrals to distributors through the Contact Us section of the websites. The steroids were smuggled into the United States, and shipped to customers. In addition, steroids from the eight companies were also shipped to U.S. traffickers, who re-sold the products to their customers. Financial transactions were primarily done via Western Union wire transfers, as well as bank transfers and credit card payments.
These groups also supplied numerous pharmacies along the U.S./Mexico border, where U.S. customers could purchase steroids and smuggle them back across the border into the United States.
In addition to the Saltiel-Cohen arrest and indictments, DEA today arrested 4 steroid trafficking suspects in San Diego and Laredo, TX. As part of Operation Gear Grinder, DEA also identified over 2,000 U.S. customers that have received steroids from the businesses indicted today. These customers consist of individual users, street-level dealers, and organized trafficking groups in dozens of cities across the country.
The Southern District of California has issued indictments charging the companies and individual defendants with the following:Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 952, 960 and 963 - Conspiracy to Import Anabolic Steroids; Title 21, U.S.C., Secs. 846 and 841(a)(1) - Conspiracy to Distribute Anabolic Steroids; Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 2; Title 18, U.S.C., Secs. 1956(h) and 1956(a)(1)(A)(I) - Conspiracy to Launder Money; Title 21, U.S.C.,Sec. 853(a), Title 18, U.S.C.,Sec. 982 and Title 21, U.S.C.,Sec. 853(p) - Criminal Forfeiture.
Manufacturing Targets
1. Companies: Quality Vet, Denkall, and Animal Power
Owners: Alberto Saltiel Cohen, Joaquin Garcia Rivas, and Javier Garcia de la Pena.
These manufacturers are significant U.S. suppliers of Nandrolone

2. Company: Laboratorios Tornel
Owner: Luis Bravo-Tornel
Manager: Mauricio Bravo-Berentsen
This manufacturer is a top U.S. supplier of Testosterone Decanoate

3. Company: Laboratorios Brovel
Owner: Arturo Bravo-Valdes
This manufacturer is a top U.S. supplier of Nandrolone Decanoate

4. Company: Pet’s Pharma
Owner: Ramon Vargas
Co-Owner-Eduardo Hernandez
This manufacturer is a top U.S. source of Testosterone Enanthate

5. Company: Syd Group
Owner: Armando Guzman-Armenta
Associate: Amalia Lara
This manufacturer is a top U.S. source of Stanozolol

6. Company: Loeffler
Officer: Jose Angel Garcia-Hinojosa
This manufacturer is a top U.S. source of Methandrostenolone

Operation Gear Grinder was coordinated by the DEA Special Operations Division. DEA offices in San Diego, Mexico City, Tijuana, New York, Houston, San Antonio, and Laredo, Texas participated in the investigation.
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).

[CarryOnTheChaos]

hmmm... very interesting... spreading our disease into the community as they say... but you don't hear about crack/cocaine sales or the enumerous amount of marijuana in the US...however, they are right...steroids are the MOST dangerous!



regards,
COTC

[knightr53]

damn i thought steriods was beneficial if used the right way. why they just wont say that because its illegal younger cats were missusing them. truth is i was one of them. i aint know what a pct was till i got older.

[bioman]

Glad I stuck to legal products thus far. 2000 online users ID'ed..the eyes of Big Brother are everywhere.

[Grassroots082]

That sucks.

[Chippewa]

Originally Posted by bioman

Glad I stuck to legal products thus far. 2000 online users ID'ed..the eyes of Big Brother are everywhere.

No kidding! I've never used a steroid (or even ANY type of illegal drug) in my life, but don't these sellers delete their friggin' emails afterward? Who in the world keeps 2000 customer records on their computer over the last 2 years?

[CDB]

Originally Posted by Chippewa

No kidding! I've never used a steroid (or even ANY type of illegal drug) in my life, but don't these sellers delete their friggin' emails afterward? Who in the world keeps 2000 customer records on their computer over the last 2 years?

It needs to be securely deleted or information on a disk can be recovered.

And what makes you guys think you're safe? Do you really think these idiots are above going to say Nutraplanet for example, getting all their records, seeing who bought what semilegal supplement and going after those people?

Technically the steroid laws were written with the intent of banning every steroid, known or unknown. People who have bought Superdrol are at risk of prosecution if some beauracrat gets a weed up ass about it.

[spatch]

Sad part is...

The dealers of this will get more time then the FAGGOT that just re-located into my area got. Thats right, a kiddie toucher just moved near me. Funny, his prefered victims are young boys.

He's 5'6", 145 lbs. I'm 6'3" around 250. I hope me makes a move on me and he winds up with a broken neck.

Sorry if i got over aggressive, but theres nothing worse than 35 year olds like this fag that go after little kids.



On topic...

I'm no expert on black market drugs, but why would you even think of ordering an illigal drug online?

[Achilles13]

Just goes to show you, no one is safe in this game...

[Jstrong20]

Originally Posted by CDB

Technically the steroid laws were written with the intent of banning every steroid, known or unknown. People who have bought Superdrol are at risk of prosecution if some beauracrat gets a weed up ass about it.

Nah they wouldn't do that! They only get aggressive with dealers. Your safe unless you order 1,000s of bottles to stock up.lol

[spatch]

Originally Posted by Jstrong20

Nah they wouldn't do that! They only get aggressive with dealers. Your safe unless you order 1,000s of bottles to stock up.lol

You better think again dude. You get screwed if you have enought for a cycle because usually that is enough to get busted for intent to deal.

[brogers]

Well, they usually go up the chain, not down it, but it looks like they started at the top with this one...

[Maccabee]

Technically the steroid laws were written with the intent of banning every steroid, known or unknown. People who have bought Superdrol are at risk of prosecution if some beauracrat gets a weed up ass about it.[/quote]

Not necessarily, the legislative history of the 2004 act to leads to the conclusion that any new "steroid" that fits the definition in the act, must be administratively scheduled first.

[Jstrong20]

Originally Posted by spatch

You better think again dude. You get screwed if you have enought for a cycle because usually that is enough to get busted for intent to deal.

Sure if you get busted with something illegal. But if the products get banned their not going to go knocking on doors of people that bought stuff pre-ban. I know of a situtation where someone was ratted on for having steroids so they flushed all their ****. Turns out cops never even botherd to show up or question the person. I will say even though I don't see that ever happening you can't bet I wouln't have any **** around post-ban because I'm about the most paranoid person you will ever meet.lol

[UnicronSpawn]

This sucks so much, why does our country insist on being dead f-ing wrong on this issue. Most all of AM members know that the scientific literature does not support these ass pipe's allegations about the supposed horrors of AAS usage. They quantified the actions of theese suppliers as "spreading their virus on americans". What a load of crap.
And suppliers dont "sell" their products in a persuasive marketing sense, customers (who have long since made up their mind) go out of their way to find those suppliers to get what they have allready decided they want. What a bunch of bueracratic puritanical ludditte BS.

[TheGreatHunt]

U.S. Gov-ey at work again... gotta love it

[mildain]

Originally Posted by spatch

Sad part is...

The dealers of this will get more time then the FAGGOT that just re-located into my area got. Thats right, a kiddie toucher just moved near me. Funny, his prefered victims are young boys.

I agree Spatch, I'm sick of seeing these fags who molest young kids get a couple of years in jail, while a grown man capable of making decisions for himself gets locked up in a state penn for trying to gain a couple of lbs of mass.

And since you got me started.... WHY THE **** IS IT that a woman can get testTO CHANGE INTO A DUDE!!!! OR a dude get an OP TO CHANGE INTO A WOMAN!! and I can't take some gear to enhance my physique!!

There is so much crazy ass bullshit that goes on in this country which is fine by me, but then how can you prosecute roid users and not prosecute alcohol consumption and tobacco use. Alcohol and tobacco has killed more than any steriod!

I'm just sick of all this hypocritical right wing bullshit!!