Redaccion
National Police officers have dismantled a clandestine laboratory in the province of Alicante dedicated to the manufacture and distribution of anabolic steroids, and have arrested eleven people. In addition, in the six raids carried out, they seized more than 300,000 doses of illegal products, three kilograms of various active ingredients, thousands of empty vials and capsules, as well as over 4,300 euros.
The suspects obtained the active ingredient from Asian countries with which they had the capacity to produce over 3,000,000 doses, as reported by the Superior Police Headquarters in a statement.
The investigation began when officers became aware that a man, along with his closest circle, could be manufacturing anabolic steroid medications — used for sports performance enhancement — in a clandestine laboratory in the province of Alicante to later distribute them to end customers.
As the investigations progressed, it was discovered that they made deliveries by hand and only to trusted individuals. In this way, they carried out their criminal activity with a «high» level of security, as sales were made only inside homes or very reserved places, greatly hindering police work.
The active ingredient of the different substances arrived in packages with a fictitious content such as flour, pasta, or nutritional supplements. Subsequently, it was processed manually in the laboratory located in a different residence from where the leader of this criminal group resided. There, and without adequate hygienic conditions, it was mixed with oils, dyes, and other cutting substances to achieve a product with «a high degree of purity.»
The group leader had a «broad» network of distributors who were part of his inner circle and worked under his command, providing service to end consumers. This criminal activity allowed him to earn income that could exceed 15,000 euros per month.
As a result of the investigations, it was discovered that one of the distributors intended to expand the business nationally by proposing to the leader the creation of a brand with an «attractive» labeling that would provide «greater credibility» to attract new customers. Ultimately, this market strategy was not implemented because if they achieved a very high volume of sales, it could attract attention and lead to the discovery of their criminal network.
REGISTERS
Once the officers identified the members of the group and located the location of the clandestine laboratory, they carried out the entries and searches, locating the residence where the laboratory was hidden and where the main suspect spent most of his time working on the production of illegal drugs.
There, they seized over 300,000 doses of illegal anabolic-steroid medications, 44 different types of active ingredients totaling three kilograms — potentially yielding over 3,000,000 doses on the market once production was completed — precipitation vessels, a centrifuge, encapsulators, thousands of empty capsules and vials, and over 4,300 euros.
As a result, the police have arrested eleven people as alleged members of a criminal group and for offenses against public health.
The detainees have been brought before the judicial authority.
