Australian gets heavy fine for importing Thai Dianabol.

An Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) investigation has resulted in the conviction and fining of a 29-year-old Canberra man in the Queanbeyan Local Court yesterday for importing steroids into Australia. The man was ordered to pay over $11,000. The ACBPS investigation began on 2 April 2013, when officers at the Sydney International Mail Facility detected two packages containing a steroid (methandienone) from Thailand. On 8 May 2013, ACBPS officers executed search and seizure warrants across addresses in the Australian Capital Territory. The man was subsequently charged with two counts of importing prohibited imports, namely methandienone, contrary to section 233 (1) (b) of the Customs Act 1901, and one count of possess prohibited imports contrary to section 233(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1901. The man was yesterday convicted and fined $6000 for two counts of importing prohibited imports ($3000 for each count); $1000 for possessing prohibited imports; and ordered to pay $4,066.32 to ACBPS for professional costs. The total due is $11,066.32. ACBPS Acting National Manager Investigations, Paul Benussi, said the conviction demonstrates the scope of ACBPS investigations across Australia. “It doesn’t matter where you live in Australia. If you bring prohibited drugs across the border, we will seize them and you could face serious penalties,” Mr Benussi said. “It might seem tempting to import the drugs from countries where they are freely available, but Australia has strict laws to control their importation.” The maximum penalty for this offence is a fine of up to $170,000 and/or up to five years in gaol.