Spanish police bust six laboratories, arrest 70 in crackdown on sports doping
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-06-01 19:55

Spanish police have raided six laboratories and arrested 70 people in a crackdown on the clandestine production of anabolic steroids and hormone-boosting substances to be distributed throughout Europe, the Interior Ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry said the network _ the biggest in Spain and abroad, according to police _ was capable of producing more than 10,000 doses every half hour. The ministry said police estimated they had seized some 30 million doses in all.

The arrests were made in 56 raids in 13 provinces across Spain. The six laboratories were found in the northeastern region of Catalonia.

The substances were for ``general consumption, but more specifically for the world of sports,'' the ministry said in a statement.

``The substances were high-quality fakes, making it extremely difficult to distinguish them from genuine products sold officially,'' the statement said. The products were distributed clandestinely to gymnasiums, sports clinics as well as directly to athletes. They were also sold via the Internet and in health food stores run by one of the arrested, it said.

Two of six laboratories, which were located in houses, warehouses and shops, operated legally but channeled most of their production toward the illegal market, the ministry said. The substances came in various forms including vials, capsules, tablets and doses for injection.

Police also seized a considerable amount of equipment and utensils used in the production of the substances, including weighing scales, chemical mixers and bottling and labeling machines.

They also confiscated several expensive cars and transport vans and about euro200,000 (US$250,000) in cash.

The Spanish Medication Agency and the Health Ministry helped police in the operation.

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