learner202
Banana
By JOANNE BERGER DuMOUND
Staff Writer
June 20, 2002
NORTH ROYALTON — Local officials showed some brawn of their own when police assisted in confiscating several packages containing steroids, making it the largest such seizure in the city's history.
One package of the anabolic steroids and other related substances was estimated at having a $11,500 street value, although the 26-year-old man told authorities he bought them for his own body-building competitions.
Detective Jay Drake, currently assigned to the U.S. Customs Office in Cleveland, said a customs agent at New York's JFK airport contacted local agents earlier this month about a seized package containing steroids slated for delivery in North Royalton. Drake said local officials decided to pursue it rather than just destroy the illegal substances.
The local customs agency obtained the package and alerted the U.S. Postal Service about it. The package was ultimately given to the North Royalton postal officials.
When the man picked up the package at the State Road post office, he was immediately met outside by law enforcement officials, including North Royalton police.
U.S. Customs also seized two more packages earlier this week.
The man, whom authorities declined to identify, ordered the steroids overseas, an all-too-common buying habit for some body builders and illegal drug pushers.
"This stuff happens all the time," said Drake. "People, like this fellow, buy them over the Internet from foreign countries, pay for them through a wire transfer and then the substances are sent here. U.S. Customs have the authority to open any packages. Some are seized, others may get through."
The first package contained hundreds of anabolic steroid tablets as well as injectable body-building hormones. It was four times over the felony limit. A Cuyahoga County grand jury is expected to render indictments soon.
Sergeant Al Napier, head of the detective's unit, agreed that shipments like this happens everywhere, including North Royalton.
"We're just like any other city. We just happen to have someone assigned to customs which, I believe, has helped us seize more of these packages than other communities."
The city will also profit another way. It will receive a monetary percentage of the seized goods sometime within the next nine to 12 months. The money can only be used for law enforcement purposes.
Napier said package confiscations like this should put Internet users on the alert.
"These actions are illegal. And you just don't know what you may be receiving. Who knows what may be in these pills or liquid. You don't until you use it. And then it may just be too late."
Drake, the U.S. Customs Office and local police have been involved in various drug busts over the past year. In April, they executed a search warrant at a Royalton Road rental house for suspected drug activity. Others involved cocaine and marijuana investigations.
© 2002 Sun Newspapers
Go to Sun Newspapers home page
Staff Writer
June 20, 2002
NORTH ROYALTON — Local officials showed some brawn of their own when police assisted in confiscating several packages containing steroids, making it the largest such seizure in the city's history.
One package of the anabolic steroids and other related substances was estimated at having a $11,500 street value, although the 26-year-old man told authorities he bought them for his own body-building competitions.
Detective Jay Drake, currently assigned to the U.S. Customs Office in Cleveland, said a customs agent at New York's JFK airport contacted local agents earlier this month about a seized package containing steroids slated for delivery in North Royalton. Drake said local officials decided to pursue it rather than just destroy the illegal substances.
The local customs agency obtained the package and alerted the U.S. Postal Service about it. The package was ultimately given to the North Royalton postal officials.
When the man picked up the package at the State Road post office, he was immediately met outside by law enforcement officials, including North Royalton police.
U.S. Customs also seized two more packages earlier this week.
The man, whom authorities declined to identify, ordered the steroids overseas, an all-too-common buying habit for some body builders and illegal drug pushers.
"This stuff happens all the time," said Drake. "People, like this fellow, buy them over the Internet from foreign countries, pay for them through a wire transfer and then the substances are sent here. U.S. Customs have the authority to open any packages. Some are seized, others may get through."
The first package contained hundreds of anabolic steroid tablets as well as injectable body-building hormones. It was four times over the felony limit. A Cuyahoga County grand jury is expected to render indictments soon.
Sergeant Al Napier, head of the detective's unit, agreed that shipments like this happens everywhere, including North Royalton.
"We're just like any other city. We just happen to have someone assigned to customs which, I believe, has helped us seize more of these packages than other communities."
The city will also profit another way. It will receive a monetary percentage of the seized goods sometime within the next nine to 12 months. The money can only be used for law enforcement purposes.
Napier said package confiscations like this should put Internet users on the alert.
"These actions are illegal. And you just don't know what you may be receiving. Who knows what may be in these pills or liquid. You don't until you use it. And then it may just be too late."
Drake, the U.S. Customs Office and local police have been involved in various drug busts over the past year. In April, they executed a search warrant at a Royalton Road rental house for suspected drug activity. Others involved cocaine and marijuana investigations.
© 2002 Sun Newspapers
Go to Sun Newspapers home page
