Customs officers seize cache of steroid tabs
Author: AAP
Date: 07/01/2014
Words: 162
Source: NCHPublication: Newcastle Herald
Section: News
Page: 6
THOUSANDS of steroid tablets have been seized by customs officers at Sydney Airport and a mailing facility during the Christmas break.
Figures show that the detection of performance- and image-enhancing drugs (PIEDs) by customs has almost doubled over the past three years.
A 65-year-old man had his luggage searched at Sydney Airport on Christmas Day after arriving on a flight from Thailand.
Officers found a range of steroids in the man's luggage and strapped to his body, the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) said.
The man will be prosecuted by summons, a customs spokesperson said.
On Boxing Day about 12,000 steroid tablets were seized at the NSW International Mail Facility.
The tablets were hidden in a metal elephant statue from Thailand.
Annual ACBPS figures showed that the number of PIEDs being detected coming into Australia is increasing.
In 2010-11 there were 5562 detections of PIEDs, including steroids and hormones, according to customs. That figure jumped to 10,358 in the past financial year. AAP
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