The Intelligence and Investigation Service of the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA-IOD) seized a large quantity of so-called SARMs on Wednesday, May 14. These are prohibited substances that some athletes use to enhance their performance. Investigators found thousands of capsules and bottles of liquid in a home in Utrecht. They searched the home as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into large-scale international trade in SARMs. Later that day, a suspect was arrested in Utrecht. The investigation is led by the Functional Prosecutors Office.
In the Utrecht home, investigators found ready-to-use SARMs as well as all the necessary equipment to prepare, package, and ship them to customers domestically and abroad. This home is likely being used as a production site. In another home in the province of Utrecht, investigators found a quantity of packaging material that is likely used for illegal trade.
The main suspects in the investigation are of Dutch nationality but reside in Belgium. The Belgian police, at the request of the NVWA-IOD, searched a home in Turnhout, where business records were seized.
Seizure
The NVWA-IOD is conducting further research into the scale of the trade by the suspects. As a precaution, assets and expensive branded items have been seized. When assets are seized, suspects cannot hide them away. After a conviction by the court, the money earned from illegal activities can therefore be confiscated.
Risks of SARMs
Products in the illegal circuit are often unreliable. For example, they may contain different substances than those listed on the label. This also applies to SARMs. This form of doping is usually offered as capsules and powders. Its use carries health risks. Doctors and users report serious side effects such as liver failure, kidney failure, high blood pressure, hair loss, skin rashes, impotence, aggression, and impaired vision.
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