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AUTHORITIES fear an Australian expatriate in China may be the mastermind of an Olympic doping operation after a giant steroids shipment was discovered entering Sydney.
Customs agents at Port Botany intercepted 40kg of steroids in a shipment from China, prompting a global investigation involving American drug investigators. And they have now tracked the source of the drugs: an Australian-born Caucasian man based in China.
Authorities fear he may be part of a syndicate attempting to supply substances to athletes at the Beijing Olympics in August.
"He is possibly targeting the Olympics," Australian Customs national investigations manager Richard Janeczko said.
"Customs is working with international partners to establish his current whereabouts in China. But given where the Games are being held it is a concern."
Customs are understood to have been working with the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority in a bid to establish possible links with Australian athletes, but none have been found as yet.
Customs have also been working with Chinese anti-doping agents and the US Drug Enforcement Agency.
The record haul was intercepted in March last year at Port Botany.
The steroids were disguised in bulk cannisters labelled "amino acids".
The shipment, discovered in powder form, weighed 80kg, with 40kg of the active performance enhancing substance.
"We believe there is a demand for this sort of stuff in Australia," Janeczko said.
"These quantities most likely would have been turned into tablets or capsules."
Janeczko said China was a logical source of performance enhancing drugs because of its vast chemical industry.
"The Chinese are really being quite cooperative," he said.
"Because China has a large chemical manufacturing sector, both it and India are the places you go to get this stuff."
ASADA chief executive Richard Ings said while he could not comment on the case, "as a matter of policy, there is a seamless sharing of information between ASADA and customs on matters of mutual interest".
Giant steroids shipment was discovered entering Sydney | FoxSports - Fox Sports
Customs agents at Port Botany intercepted 40kg of steroids in a shipment from China, prompting a global investigation involving American drug investigators. And they have now tracked the source of the drugs: an Australian-born Caucasian man based in China.
Authorities fear he may be part of a syndicate attempting to supply substances to athletes at the Beijing Olympics in August.
"He is possibly targeting the Olympics," Australian Customs national investigations manager Richard Janeczko said.
"Customs is working with international partners to establish his current whereabouts in China. But given where the Games are being held it is a concern."
Customs are understood to have been working with the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority in a bid to establish possible links with Australian athletes, but none have been found as yet.
Customs have also been working with Chinese anti-doping agents and the US Drug Enforcement Agency.
The record haul was intercepted in March last year at Port Botany.
The steroids were disguised in bulk cannisters labelled "amino acids".
The shipment, discovered in powder form, weighed 80kg, with 40kg of the active performance enhancing substance.
"We believe there is a demand for this sort of stuff in Australia," Janeczko said.
"These quantities most likely would have been turned into tablets or capsules."
Janeczko said China was a logical source of performance enhancing drugs because of its vast chemical industry.
"The Chinese are really being quite cooperative," he said.
"Because China has a large chemical manufacturing sector, both it and India are the places you go to get this stuff."
ASADA chief executive Richard Ings said while he could not comment on the case, "as a matter of policy, there is a seamless sharing of information between ASADA and customs on matters of mutual interest".
Giant steroids shipment was discovered entering Sydney | FoxSports - Fox Sports
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