A drugs bust by Spanish police has uncovered a huge EPO ring, which saw criminals post performance enhancing drugs to athletes worldwide.
The Spanish Civil Guard have released details of a major operation that results in six arrests and 850 doses of the blood booster being recovered, the largest EPO bust in Europe.
Those involved in the drug-supplying operation used at least seven web pages to offer EPO and other performance enhancing drugs to customers for at least the last 10 years, with authorities saying they expect a large number of national and international athletes to be implicated.
According to the Civil Guard, those involved had obtained the substances through a dialysis clinic in the city of Cádiz, southwestern Spain.
The operation was carried out in Barcelon and Cádiz, kickstarted after the Spanish Agency for the Protection of Health in Sport (AEPSAD) discovered that several athletes may have been purchasing banned substances through the internet.
Using domains such as ‘www.epobest.com' the criminals offered doping products like hormones, steroids and EPO.
More than €800,000 (£670,000) in bank accounts and real estate property has been blocked, with more than €70,000 in cash being secured.
The operation was run by several Serbian citizens, one of whom was based in Barcelona.
To obtain the drugs, members of the network recruited another cell of Spanish citizens, who gathered the substances legally through the clinic.
They were then stored in a warehouse before being sent on to buyers.
>>> Johan Brunyeel launches his own sports management company
It was in this warehouse that officers found 850 pre-filled EPO syringes and other medicines, without the proper storage or temperature.
Drugs were then sent throughout Europe through a variety of courier companies and were listed under false identities.
The operation was carried out by the public health and doping section of the Civil Guard, collaborating with various police forces and AEPSAD.
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
-
'Don't use the bike': OPEN recalls all of its Campagnolo Ekar-equipped bikes and framesets
In Cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, OPEN Cycle has sent out a recall for all its Campagnolo Ekar-equipped gravel and road bikes.
-
Tour of Flanders 2023: Five men and five women to watch on Sunday
Taking a closer look at the favourites ahead of this year's Ronde van Vlaanderen
-
"Failing that drug test was the best thing that had ever happened to me"
Abuse victim and disgraced cycling champion Geneviève Jeanson finds solace in return to bike racing
-
29 cases of alleged doping recorded in cycling in 2022, but only one at WorldTour
Most came from semi-professional ranks, MPCC finds
-
Spanish police crack down on doping ring, former Kelme coach questioned
Miguel Ángel López denies any involvement in statement
-
UCI suspends continental team's licence due to doping investigation
W52-FC Porto cannot compete in any races after an investigation conducted by the Anti-Doping Authority of Portugal
-
Trial begins into French doctor and two others accused of attempting to dope cyclists
Bernand Sainz has been involved in cycling circles for the best part of six decades
-
Johan Bruyneel: 'Lance Armstrong was the perfect target to be sacrificed' to clean up cycling
The former rider and team boss says in his era the choice was 'either you adapt and you dope yourself, or you disappear'
-
British Paralympic hopeful cyclist banned for three years for doping offence
Erin McBride, who joined the British Cycling team after switching from athletics this year, tested positive for a banned substance
-
Two Italian cyclists banned following doping violations
One was an amateur time trial champion
