Seven convicted in illegal production, distribution of anabolic steroids
The District Court of Noord-Holland has sentenced the main suspect in an investigation into the illegal production and sale of anabolic steroids to 38 months in prison. Six relatives and associates were also convicted.
The main suspect’s partner, who assisted in the illegal trade, received two maximum community service orders totaling 480 hours instead of prison. His two brothers, who sold prohibited medicines through their own websites and also marketed their brother’s brand, were sentenced to prison terms of up to 27 months.
His uncle, who managed the warehouse where part of the stock and production took place, was also given a prison sentence. Another associate, who allegedly acted as a driver delivering orders, was convicted as well.
Prison sentences for the five co-defendants ranged from 6 to 27 months. A sixth person, the partner of one of the brothers, was acquitted of money laundering, the only charge against her.
The court emphasized that the group not only engaged in the unauthorized production and sale of medicines but also laundered the proceeds, deliberately "channeling criminal earnings back into the legal economy and undermining its integrity."
According to the court, the main suspect was the central figure in the network, marketing drugs under his own brand names and selling them through multiple, frequently changing websites. His partner kept the administration, his uncle managed the warehouse where part of the production took place, and another suspect acted as driver to deliver orders. His two brothers also sold prohibited medicines online and distributed their brother’s brand.
The Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service (FIOD) launched the case after Dutch Customs flagged suspicious shipments of raw materials and laboratory equipment used to produce steroids and other pharmaceuticals.
The court said the defendants undermined the Dutch system of tightly controlled drug production and trade, which exists to protect public health. “The use of medicines such as anabolic steroids, erection-enhancing drugs, and sleeping medication can pose major risks to the health of users. Some of the drugs are highly addictive. Use in the wrong dosage without medical supervision can even have fatal consequences. The defendants disregarded all these risks and only pursued financial gain,” the court said.
The verdict comes as Dutch authorities face growing concerns over the availability of anabolic steroids. According to the Doping Authority, between 40,000 and 50,000 people in the Netherlands are currently using steroids. “We fear that the use will increase further and that the average user will become younger,” Herman Ram, director of the Doping Authority, told NRC.
Experts warn that steroids are easily accessible online. “It would be good to try to curb that trade, because it is now very easy to get and not expensive at all,” Pim de Ronde, founder of the Netherlands’ first steroids outpatient clinic, told the newspaper.
Dozens of Dutch-language websites reportedly sell anabolic steroids, and the trade is described as highly lucrative with a low risk of detection. NRC reported that enforcement is fragmented, with different authorities sharing responsibilities but none having a full overview.
Anabolic steroids, derived from testosterone, stimulate protein production and increase muscle mass. They remain popular among bodybuilders and martial artists.
