The increasing demand for anabolic steroids in the UK and other parts of Europe prompts illegal importers to increase shipments of these drugs. It was recently reported by private organizations that the increase in the use of anabolic steroids in UK were not confined to sports enthusiasts like bodybuilders and athletes but also by common individuals who just want to look good physically.

The customs officials of Ireland provided information that the intercepted shipments of anabolic steroids, Viagra and other prescription drugs is considerably large and increasing. Based on the records, they were able to seized 800 kgs of illegally imported medicines mostly sent through postal services. Included in the shipments were antibiotics, slimming aids, sedatives, beta-blockers and anti-depressants. These were the total seizures from 2007 to 2009.

What is alarming in these imported medicines are the risks it poses to the users since most of these were noted to be faked steroids. There were also huge number of Valium type Diazepam which were commonly ordered through the internet. According to Denis Graham, head of Revenue’s Investigations and Prosecutions, many people do not seem to realise that these products may not be supplied through internet sales to Ireland. “Some cases have involved the attempted importation of supply quantities of medicines containing anabolic steroids. One doesn’t need medical expertise to envisage the damage this type of illicit trade can cause,” he said. He also added that people should be aware that there was no quality assurance and no guarantees being offered by these medicines.

In the report of The Herald, most of these anabolic steroids and other prescription drugs were illegaly imported from Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Bulgaria and the USA. In the year 2007, a total of 177,915 tablets were seized. Various prescription drugs were mostly imported from the US. Shipments from Pakistan of 30,000 tablets of Diazepam were also intercepted by mail in October of the same year. In 2008, 26,520 pills of Limovan imported from Spain were intercepted in Dublin Airport. A total of 4,460 Diazepam tablets from Bangladesh were also intercepted and 24,000 slimming pills were from China. Most of these were shipped through parcel post. According to customs, more than 515,755 tablets were seized in that year.

This year, a total of 218,605 tablets have been seized by customs. 75 kgs of consigned weight loss products from China were also seized. Another shipment of imported Zopiclone (Limovan) which totaled to 44,940 tablets were seized. These were allegedly imported from Sofia, Bulgaria last January. An additional 40,000 Zopiclone tablets were also sent through Dublin Airport from Bulgaria.

Government agencies are worried on these statistics. Although they are effective in tracking those illegally imported medicines, there could still some shipments that may pass through their strict monitoring. The Revenue initiated and signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Irish Medicines Board in a new bid to halt the illegal importation of medicines. These would at least help curtail this problem. According to the Irish Medicines Board, its Enforcement Section launched 3,037 enforcement cases for breaches of medicinal production laws in 2008 which is two times the figures as compared in 2007 with 1,397.

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