In their first targeted seizure of contraband steroids in years, city police say they’ve confiscated drugs with a street value of $50,000.
Following a month-long undercover operation, police drug unit members made their sting last Friday, raiding a home in the 100 block of Auburn Glen Cir. S.E.
There, officers found 21 different kinds of anabolic steriods they say were being trafficked, said Staff Sgt. Dale Ruzycki.
In a 2006 Toyota 4Runner, police also seized $91,000 in cash.
“In the past five years, we’ve seized steroids as part of other investigations but this one was targeted,” said Ruzycki.
A month ago, he said police received a tip and arranged with a suspect to make purchases of steroids.
“It was much like any other dial-a-dope arrangement,” said Ruzycki.
“We made a purchase and over the next month developed a relationship.”
The drugs are used for body building or to alter other appearances.
But anabolic steroids — legally procured with a doctor’s prescription — can be dangerous especially when trafficked without medical analysis, said Ruzycki.
“It’s from somebody who’s not medically-qualified to be prescribing this...they don’t have any idea what they’re really using,” he said.
Steroids can be harmful to the heart, liver and kidneys.
The “significant” amount of cash seized, said Ruzycki, indicates the accused had been heavily involved in steroid trafficking previously.
And he said there’s probably no shortage of contraband steroids in circulation.
“I do believe there’s a fair amount of steroids out on the street,” he said.
Late last month, Edmonton police raided a lab producing anabolic steroids and confiscated drugs with a street value of $250,000, along with $500,000 in cash.
Five people — most of them from the same family — were arrested.
In the Calgary seizure, city resident Jordan James Cutts, 36, has been charged with three counts of trafficking, two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and five counts of proceeds of crime.
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