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Phillip Slater, a pharmacist with an ownership stake in at least five pharmacies in Australia, faces several serious charges over his alleged involvement in the distribution of anabolic steroids to a local bodybuilder and an associate of an “outlaw motorcycle gang”. Slater was busted as part of an ongoing Australian Police investigation codenamed “Strike Force Blacklock”.
The “shit hit the fan” when NSW Police's Central Hunter Local Area Command (LAC) executed a search warrant on Slater's primary residence in Lorn on June 29, 2016. Police seized a variety of drugs including a plastic bag containing 504 tablets containing pseudoephedrine. Pseudoephedrine is sold legitimately as an ingredient in cold and flu medications. However, it is also used as a precursor drug in the illicit manufacture of methamphetmines.
Slater was arrested and charged with five counts of supplying a prohibited drug, two counts of supplying indictable quantity of prohibited drug, two counts of possession of a restricted substance, two counts of goods in custody and two counts of possession of precursor.
The arrest should have come as no surprise to Slater who knew (or should have known) that he was under active investigation for several months.
In March 2016, police started conducting electronic surveillance on his mobile phone. Strike Force Blacklock investigators intercepted a call between the 36-year old Slater and a local bodybuilder. The content of the call involved the negotiation of a steroid sale between Slater and the bodybuilder.
When police officers pulled over Slater driving his car immediately after the call, they discovered 18 boxes of steroids (testosterone), 180 tablets of the selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) known as Nolvadex (tamoxifen) and 60 capsules of the appetite suppressant drug Phentamine.
Slater denied delivering the drugs as part of a drug deal. Instead, Slater claimed he was merely transporting the drugs from one pharmacy to another.
In April 2016, Slater was apparently unfazed by his earlier brush with the law. Police intercepted yet another call in which he allegedly negotiated the sale of steroids with a local man named Joshua Brooks.
On June 9, 2016, Strike Force Blacklock investigators raided the Amcal Max pharmacy in Rutherford. When Slater arrived at the pharmacy during the raid, police discovered 12 boxes of testosterone and 36 syringes in his car.
The pharmacy raid followed a thorough financial audit of the pharmacy's operations by police and health authorities. Amcal Max pharmacy is only one of five local pharmacies in which Slater is a part owner. The other pharmacies include Telarah Pharmacy, McKeachies Pharmacy, Morpeth Pharmacy, Amcal Waratah and Old Bar Pharmacy. Slater also owns the company – Slater McKendry Pharmacies – behind the internet pharmacy called “Pharmacy Max” at pharmacymax.com.au.
Magistrate John Chicken granted bail to Slater pending trial even though prosecutors argued that his pattern of behavior strongly suggests that Slater is likely to continue selling steroids and other drugs to bodybuilders and motorcycle clubs.
As a condition of his bail release, Slater surrendered his passport and agreed to avoid entering and pharmacy or pharmaceutical storeroom. This ruling also precludes Slater from entering the premises of the five pharmacies in which he has a financial interest.
Slater's trial is estimated to take place in 18 months.
The “shit hit the fan” when NSW Police's Central Hunter Local Area Command (LAC) executed a search warrant on Slater's primary residence in Lorn on June 29, 2016. Police seized a variety of drugs including a plastic bag containing 504 tablets containing pseudoephedrine. Pseudoephedrine is sold legitimately as an ingredient in cold and flu medications. However, it is also used as a precursor drug in the illicit manufacture of methamphetmines.
Slater was arrested and charged with five counts of supplying a prohibited drug, two counts of supplying indictable quantity of prohibited drug, two counts of possession of a restricted substance, two counts of goods in custody and two counts of possession of precursor.
The arrest should have come as no surprise to Slater who knew (or should have known) that he was under active investigation for several months.
In March 2016, police started conducting electronic surveillance on his mobile phone. Strike Force Blacklock investigators intercepted a call between the 36-year old Slater and a local bodybuilder. The content of the call involved the negotiation of a steroid sale between Slater and the bodybuilder.
When police officers pulled over Slater driving his car immediately after the call, they discovered 18 boxes of steroids (testosterone), 180 tablets of the selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) known as Nolvadex (tamoxifen) and 60 capsules of the appetite suppressant drug Phentamine.
Slater denied delivering the drugs as part of a drug deal. Instead, Slater claimed he was merely transporting the drugs from one pharmacy to another.
In April 2016, Slater was apparently unfazed by his earlier brush with the law. Police intercepted yet another call in which he allegedly negotiated the sale of steroids with a local man named Joshua Brooks.
On June 9, 2016, Strike Force Blacklock investigators raided the Amcal Max pharmacy in Rutherford. When Slater arrived at the pharmacy during the raid, police discovered 12 boxes of testosterone and 36 syringes in his car.
The pharmacy raid followed a thorough financial audit of the pharmacy's operations by police and health authorities. Amcal Max pharmacy is only one of five local pharmacies in which Slater is a part owner. The other pharmacies include Telarah Pharmacy, McKeachies Pharmacy, Morpeth Pharmacy, Amcal Waratah and Old Bar Pharmacy. Slater also owns the company – Slater McKendry Pharmacies – behind the internet pharmacy called “Pharmacy Max” at pharmacymax.com.au.
Magistrate John Chicken granted bail to Slater pending trial even though prosecutors argued that his pattern of behavior strongly suggests that Slater is likely to continue selling steroids and other drugs to bodybuilders and motorcycle clubs.
As a condition of his bail release, Slater surrendered his passport and agreed to avoid entering and pharmacy or pharmaceutical storeroom. This ruling also precludes Slater from entering the premises of the five pharmacies in which he has a financial interest.
Slater's trial is estimated to take place in 18 months.