New Chapter in Roids story; major busts

[NE_PATS_FAN_54]

An international investigation code-named Operation Raw Deal that culminated in the last four days could produce the next steroids scandal in sports – and perhaps the biggest yet.

The undercover operation led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration resulted in the seizure of massive amounts of anabolic steroids from an illegal, underground network and the ability to identify hundreds of thousands of people who received steroids and other substances used by some athletes as performance-enhancing drugs, a DEA spokesman told Yahoo! Sports on Sunday.

Most of the raids took place in the United States, and the DEA called the steroids crackdown the largest in U.S. history. DEA offices in New York and San Diego provided lead guidance during an investigation that resulted in 124 arrests and seizures at 56 labs across the country. Investigators also seized 71 weapons, 27 pill presses, 25 vehicles and three boats, but the coveted item was illegal drugs, and the DEA said it intercepted a staggering quantity.

Also, federal officials are creating a database of names of the people who received steroids, human growth hormone (HGH) and other drugs banned by most sports leagues and athletic associations, DEA spokesman Rusty Payne said.



OPERATION RAW DEAL

The Drug Enforcement Administration led a massive, undercover operation that targeted the illegal importation and distribution of steroids, human growth hormone and other medications. A primary source of the illicit drugs was coming from Chinese manufacturers.

Countries involved in the operation:

United States
(26 states)
China
Mexico
Canada
Belgium

Australia
Germany
Denmark
Sweden
Thailand

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_y...cB?slug=jo-steroids092407&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

this is about to get a lot worse

 

[LoveDemPats]

I really hope that none of our players are involved in this round of crap. We have had our fill I think.

On the flip side, I sure hope that some of the name callers, or maybe some of the players from our most venomous name calling trolls will be deeply entrenched.

Really, I kinda wish it wasn't even a factor and that they could all just play.

 

[psychoPat]

It is easy to understand why sports association and leagues
want their competitions to be all free of steroids.

It is easy to understand why wise heads urge athletes and almost all others
to avoid taking steroids.

What i have yet to hear an explanation of
is why
people should be sent to prison for what they elect to take into their own bodies.

 

[NYPatsFan]

What i have yet to hear an explanation of
is why people should be sent to prison for what they elect to take into their own bodies.

Because it's illegal to sell steroids. Period.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

It is easy to understand why sports association and leagues
want their competitions to be all free of steroids.

It is easy to understand why wise heads urge athletes and almost all others
to avoid taking steroids.

What i have yet to hear an explanation of
is why
people should be sent to prison for what they elect to take into their own bodies.

So who is being sent to prison? Generally speaking law enforcement seems to be more interested in incarcerating manufacturers, distributors and doctors writing illegal scripts for steroids and HGH, not the individuals receiving them.

 

[psychoPat]

So who is being sent to prison? Generally speaking law enforcement seems to be more interested in incarcerating manufacturers, distributors and doctors writing illegal scripts for steroids and HGH, not the individuals receiving them.

So, are you saying that the law forbids manufacture and distribution
... but not use?
If not ... as i believe is the case ... you seem to be taking comfort from the
arbitrary or whimsical negligence
of "law enforcement"
in carrying out there sworn duties.
That is, a user's freedom depends on dereliction throughout the criminal justice system.

Users, however, ARE pilloried and punished.
Are steroid users legally subject to being placed on a "steroid users list" - like sex offenders ...
or is systematic leaking of suspected purchasers' identities ALSO to be
a function of the desk sergeant's discretion?

 

[Fencer]

I'm one of those who believes drug use should be legalized.

But if it were, there would have to be a whole new legal regime about distribution, using-while-XYZ, employers' rights to drug test, etc.

Further discussion should probably be taken out of the football forums.

 

[LoveDemPats]

Hey, what if this story gets really huge?

Other stories lately have started out in a similar way. Then, BLAMO, they are way out of control. Is this one of those stories?

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Because it's illegal to sell steroids. Period.

No, it's illegal to sell steroids to someone who does not have a Doctor's Prescription, filled out in compliance with the local State's regulations.

 

[Born_a_Patriot]

They just said no sports athletes were part of the investigation.

 

[Real World]

It is easy to understand why sports association and leagues
want their competitions to be all free of steroids.

It is easy to understand why wise heads urge athletes and almost all others
to avoid taking steroids.

What i have yet to hear an explanation of
is why
people should be sent to prison for what they elect to take into their own bodies.

I was just going to type the same thing.

 

[Gwedd]

Fellers,

This whole issue is NOT about using steroids, per se. It's about the illegal manufacture, sale and disytribution through faux doctors and faux prescriptions.

It is perfectly legal for a licenced maker to produce steroids and for real doctors who actually see their patients to prescribe them and the patient to take them.

What happened was a number of labs started to produce and offer to sell steroids without the permits. They used certain doctors to blank-check the prescriptions, and then sold them online. The buyers would simply pass their info onto the website, who would have their doctor on the payroll fill out a scrip to make it look legit.

This kept the sales off the books and out of sight of Federal overseers. It also allowed folks to obtain these items without any outsiders knowing about it.

It's not about steroids being illegal. It's about an illegal operation to manufacture and sell them without the proper permits, taxes, etc.

 

[letekro]

It is easy to understand why sports association and leagues
want their competitions to be all free of steroids.

It is easy to understand why wise heads urge athletes and almost all others
to avoid taking steroids.

What i have yet to hear an explanation of
is why
people should be sent to prison for what they elect to take into their own bodies.

Is this really an argument for a football forum? You don't need a victim to have a crime.

 

[Gwedd]

It is easy to understand why sports association and leagues
want their competitions to be all free of steroids.

It is easy to understand why wise heads urge athletes and almost all others
to avoid taking steroids.

What i have yet to hear an explanation of
is why
people should be sent to prison for what they elect to take into their own bodies.

They aren't being prosected and sent to prison for using steroids. They are being prosecuted and sent to prison for illegally possesing steroids and illegally obtaining steroids. If they had gone to a real doctor and gotten a prescription for them, they could have obtained them from a legitimate source and used them legally. Instead, they went through an illegal provider who used faked prescriptions (written by a real doctor, but one who had never even met, let alone examined, his patients) etc. In short, they violated federal laws on controlled substances.

respects,