Attorney General Seizes Thousands Of Illegal Steroids In Local Bust, By: Anne Marshall
September 27, 2006
The Kentucky Bureau of Investigations says a bust in Louisville turned up the largest seizure of illegal steroids in state history. They say it will keep thousands of drugs out of the hands of Kentucky teenagers. WAVE 3's Anne Marshall investigates.
Hard work pays off, but for a couple bucks there's an easy answer. A 2001 University of Kentucky study showed Kentucky teens are using steroids at a rate higher than the national average.
And teens can get them for as cheap as a dollar a pill, but on September 15th a drug synonymous with strength was defeated when the Kentucky Bureau of Investigations busted Advanced Pharmacy Services in Louisville, arresting its manager and a pharmacist.
Says Attorney General Greg Stumbo: "This was a hub, a shipping hub."
Stumbo says the KBI went in looking for narcotics, and seized about $350,000 worth of painkillers, but they also got 150,000 doses of illegal anabolic steroids.
The steroids had been ordered by a pharmacy in Florida, and Advanced Pharmacy, which had only been up and running for two days, was the distributor. It is illegal to provide steroids to anyone without a prescription, but it happens.
According to the UK study, 30 percent of 10th graders and 40 percent of 12th graders says its easy to get access to the pills.
Nick West, a football player at Frankfort's Western Hills High School, says "I don't' know anyone who ever has."
But he also says he's heard of it. "In Kentucky, high school football is so big, and teens want to be the dominant athlete."
With drugs off the street, the Attorney General's office wants to claim a victory, but admits steroids may still have the edge. "The question is how big is the problem? And the answer is we don't know," Stumbo said.
The two men arrested in this case each face several felony charges.
The illegal Internet pharmacy in Florida is still up and running, though the KBI says its part of an ongoing investigation.
The seized drugs were going to be sent all over the U.S., including Kentucky.
