'Raw Deal' Busts Labs Across U.S.

“NEW YORK – In a four-day series of daylight raids that ended Sunday, Drug Enforcement Administration agents shut down 26 underground steroid labs and made more than 50 arrests across the country, capping what agents are calling the largest performance-enhancing drug crackdown in U.S. history. The DEA also has identified 37 Chinese factories that purportedly supplied the raw materials for the labs, a DEA spokesman told ESPN…The investigation also focused on message boards where advice is traded about obtaining raw materials, as well as on the Web sites that help the labs sell finished products to the public. Hundreds of thousands of e-mails were intercepted, according to Dan Simmons, a San Diego-based special agent for the DEA. Simmons said that no professional athletes have been implicated so far but that the e-mails are being compiled into a massive database of names and are being analyzed…“In Gear Grinder, we didn’t target the end user,” he said. “Now, we have investigative leads everywhere.” News conferences about the operation are scheduled for Monday in Kansas City, Mo.; Providence, R.I.; San Diego; Houston; and New York.”

Those are excerpts i came across in an espn article just a few minutes ago. enraged? maybe, but not roid rage. frightened? maybe, but only because this is, yet, one more step to end the lives of honest, hard working, self-conscience men (and women) in an unjust manner. who are these people to tell us what we can and cant take to maintain our bodies? and they compare AAS to such vile drugs as cocaine, meth, and heroin. the folks in this forum may take performance enhancers. of those, how many have been able to shoot any enanthate into their quad then sit on their ass and reap any benefit? how many have popped a few dbol pills then played xbox for weeks upon weeks and seen any meaningful gains in strength and quality mass? these drugs, while enhancing, are only as useful as the people taking them. now… look at cocaine. look at meth, hell look at heroin… take any of these drugs and they work with no effort on the users part. we have a class of “users” who take steroids to boost their, already, intense (for the legit user) workout, being compared to junkies who just want to skip work (if they HAVE a job!) and fry their brains! its insulting!

i apologize for the ranting, and superflous post, but id like to hear what others have to say. any thoughts? any comments? and for those who do take AAS, does anyone know the impact this has on the others? i mean i live in kansas city, one of the cities holding a press conference over these busts, and i wonder if im going to wake up over the next few weeks by phone calls from friends asking if i can bail them out. where does this leave the average steroid user? and where do we go to find trust anymore? these “law” enforcement officials have infilterated many of our lives… many of us who havent commit any crimes other than wanting an edge. we havent hurt anyone. we havent turned our lives upside down per drug use. why attack us? why attack the forums we enjoy? why rip apart the sites that we go to for, not only questions, but answers. for advice… advice to keep us safe. advice to keep those who are just beginning from making a life-threatening mistake.

tmagnum is a site where we can all come to hang out and enjoy other people’s company who share the same basic interests. its also a place we can come to get away from the wife. the girlfriend. work. we can come to let off steam. we can express our freedom of speech, and yes, get into an argument at times. but at the end of the day, being able to argue and still maintain similar interests and friendships is what makes this country, our america, so great. look, i dont complain when i workout next to a swat member and notice him taking steroids.

i dont go running to bring down the doors of several gentlemen who are distinguished police officers for doing steroids. so why are being attacked by these guys? i would say close to anyone here has seen an officer walk into your gym and you catch him taking the same stuff they are so eager to bust someone else for. how is that right? im opening this up to everyone now. i want to hear what everyone has to say.

the folks of this site, the hard working citizens of whichever country you reside (america being the greatest, besides the beaucracy of world anti-doping administration) what do you think? how do you feel about this? lets hear it.

Well, I dunno can remember growing up thinking americans are like a shining light for the rest of the world. I was proud to be its neighbor to the north. America was a role model for other countries.

Since the Bush administration(s) and post 9-11 fall out your country has turned into the one of the most paranoid “evil doer” seekers. That destroys its own freedoms for what? Those freedoms you had is what made you great. And the Bush administration is what gave you your roid laws in the name of “anti-evil doers”.

Just like the “weapons of mass destruction” where is the smoking gun that says responsible steroid use in men leads to death and all this health damage. Where are the bodies that died from responsible steroid use? Maybe they are hidden in the desert where the “weapons” are suppose to be. Laws based on fiction are not laws. Just propaganda for the “paranoid evil seekers”.

For all those who voted them in. Hope your proud.

This is a load of crap. Please tell me that there is not more pressing issues in the world today than if I use some roids for my own benefit and use.

This is a waste of our tax dollars and an infrengment on our rights. Some day the hard working, tax paying American is going to have to take a stand! But, look at the Roman Republic and what happened to them.

They stopped fighting for what they believed in b/c it became all about money and not the people. I might not see it, but were on the same path!

Hey, the Muscular Development site had a similar article from Yahoo Sports. They claimed it was close to 56 labs, with 35 Chinese companies targeted. They said that these companies had files of buyers across the nation. If you get a knock on the door don’t be surprised.

What a bunch of bullshit! I agree that these drugs are nothing more than a tool to increase ones performance. Key word being “tool.” How can the government possibly put these items in the same category as heroin, meth, etc. All in the name of protecting the kids and making a fair playing field for all athletes.

This country is going downhill fast. Kids like myself can’t hardly afford to go to any college, U.S. infrastructure is falling apart, people’s health is still deteriorating with the obesity epidemic.

Something has got to give, or I fear the worse for this country and its people. Like Dave Matthews says,
“I’m digging a ditch
Where madness lives
I’m digging a ditch
Where my silence lives
I’m diggin a ditch and when I am through
Digging this ditch I’ll dig one for you
Digging a ditch
As black as cold
Digging a ditch
Where I can hide my soul
Digging a ditch
Where my secrets stay.”

Completely opposite point of view from the rest of you guys. I haven’t taken it but I think it should be legalized.

Maybe because I don’t know enough about it, but if an athlete uses it for 3 years of solid training then weens off it for the olympics, is his performance going to go down to pre-roid performance? If not whats the point of banning it?

As far as average everyday americans getting arrested for it, it might suck a little but like bootlegged music f’it. It’s a law and your trying to break it then get mad when you get caught.

If your that upset about it fight the law don’t get upset over the punishment. People banned together and to show the stupidity of illegal alcohol and overturned that law, where is the fight against roids. Fact is I’ve heard of more organizations working to legalize weed then steriods.

Anyway hope none of you guys get caught, I would be careful talking about it on forums as in the espn article they said they got their information from online forums and websites.

Yup…from the Washington Post, via msnbc.com, there’s this gem of a paragraph:

Side effects of anabolic steroids, which increase muscle mass, include increased body hair, a deepening of the voice, enlargement of the breasts in men and a shrinking of the testicles.

The article is at: MSN

Looks like the mainstream media is fully on-board with the fear-mongering. Law enforcement actions like this and a lack of response by reasoned AAS advocates are the reason AAS may never be legal again.

The practice of safe, regulated AAS use for male health enhancement must be promoted. But, the more things like this go unanswered, the more people will put AAS on par with cocaine and meth.

It’s hopeless.

Did any regular posters here get caught up in the sting?

[quote]dirtbag wrote:
Well, I dunno can remember growing up thinking americans are like a shining light for the rest of the world. I was proud to be its neighbor to the north. America was a role model for other countries.

Since the Bush administration(s) and post 9-11 fall out your country has turned into the one of the most paranoid “evil doer” seekers. That destroys its own freedoms for what? Those freedoms you had is what made you great. And the Bush administration is what gave you your roid laws in the name of “anti-evil doers”.

Just like the “weapons of mass destruction” where is the smoking gun that says responsible steroid use in men leads to death and all this health damage. Where are the bodies that died from responsible steroid use? Maybe they are hidden in the desert where the “weapons” are suppose to be. Laws based on fiction are not laws. Just propaganda for the “paranoid evil seekers”.

For all those who voted them in. Hope your proud. [/quote]

We also feel the same way. Hang in there with us; one more year.

I certainly hope no one here got in trouble.

P.S. Dave Matthews sucks.

mel gibson video

Bush isn’t the problem. I’m no fan of his, and I am of the opinion that my own awesome country - the USA - has been on a downward slide for the last seven years owing to the incompetence and corruption of the current leadership - and that god damned war. But, a whole bunch of Democrats voted to ban steroids, too.

The issue is the run-away train of mainstream steroid bashing that is going unanswered by experts. Voting the Repubs out won’t make a dent in this. Everyone who sees AAS as a serious male health issue should write their senators and congressmen immediately. Even if your representation voted for the ban, write them anyway.

It’ll raise the profile of the issue among their staff. You should also write letters to the editor of local newspapers and flood the public consciousness with the idea that steroids aren’t in the same class as other drugs in that “schedule 3” category - meth, cocaine, heroin, etc.

Go here:

www.mesomorphosis.com/articles/williams/

and read the three linked articles. Distill a few talking points from them and write your government representatives and your local newspaper. I’ll have five letters out within the next three days.

Lol just finished my cycle today, good timing! haha nothing at my house now!

Orwell is spinning in his grave.

I’m just curious to know where this issue will go by the time I max out my natural gains. IMO, very few drugs should be considered illegal substances. If someone wants to waste money on meth, that should be there decision. As long as it isn’t hurting anyone besides themselves, how is it the governments problem? We really have strewn from what the founding fathers intended.

[quote]CrewPierce wrote:
Lol just finished my cycle today, good timing! haha nothing at my house now![/quote]

others aren’t so lucky lol. My dads all legal (perscription) which makes me laugh about it. If i wanted it all i got to do is ask him. :slight_smile: sorry i know that makes you guys sick lol. I’m surprised mel gibson spoke out on the supplement issue. Wish we could get more figureheads like him on OUR side.

[quote]Epimetheus wrote:
I’m just curious to know where this issue will go by the time I max out my natural gains. IMO, very few drugs should be considered illegal substances. If someone wants to waste money on meth, that should be there decision. As long as it isn’t hurting anyone besides themselves, how is it the governments problem? We really have strewn from what the founding fathers intended.[/quote]

If i want to use i might go to mexico or europe for a cycle and just avoid the whole dam issue. Just walk into a drug store and buy it. Its alot of money but it just might be worth the trip to avoid the damed headache know what i mean?

America…

i think some of us in this dam forum need to start running for offices man.

[quote]Epimetheus wrote:
I’m just curious to know where this issue will go by the time I max out my natural gains. IMO, very few drugs should be considered illegal substances. If someone wants to waste money on meth, that should be there decision. As long as it isn’t hurting anyone besides themselves, how is it the governments problem? We really have strewn from what the founding fathers intended.[/quote]

whoa your taking it too far now.

You have to think of all the shit people do for hardcore narcotics and how much it breaks down a society.

People beat and steal from their mothers to get meth, crack and heroine, no way you can just let everybody take what they want.

I’m really surprised there is no organization working to get steroids legalized.

I may just start one.

It should be legal and government regulated to ensure quality and safety. IMO its not to different that cosmetic surgery. If someone wants to take something that improves there looks why stop them. It should be their God given right to do so.

And yes the Dave Matthews band sucks

Yet the F.D.A. has no problem approving drugs that are known to kill people. Even drugs which have been banned in other countries because of the negative health effects. It’s not about yor health it’s about money and power.

I wonder how much information they got of this board.
“Hey, I’m new around here, can anyone tell me where to get some steroids?”