Actor David Blazejko arrested over clandestine steroid lab found in Woodcroft
An actor and stuntman who dubbed himself ‘Crazy Dave’ has been arrested in relation to an elaborate steroid manufacturing laboratory found in Sydney’s north west.
An actor and stuntman who dubbed himself ‘Crazy Dave’ has been arrested in relation to an elaborate steroid manufacturing laboratory found in Sydney’s north west.
Police stormed a home in Woodcroft on Wednesday morning, arresting 33-year-old David Blazejko and allegedly uncovering the clandestine laboratory.
At more than six-feet tall and weighing around 130kg Blazejko has been cast in a number of relatively low-profile action films, including one titled English Dogs.
Strike Force Hyndman officers arrested Blazejko about 8am on Wednesday and took him to Blacktown Police Station where he was charged with manufacture prohibited drug (commercial quantity), supply prohibited drug (commercial quantity) and possess drug manufacture apparatus make prohibited drug.
Police will allege Blazejko was cutting the steroids with other, potentially deadly, chemicals.
He is due to front Burwood Local Court today.
The arrest comes after ABF officers stopped a “vacuum filtration kit” they believed could be used for steroid production in a consignment from China on October 8, 2018.
They also allegedly found sticker labels “for various performance and image enhancing drugs”.
The case was referred to NSW Police and detectives from Blacktown established Strike Force Hyndman to investigate further. On June 7, ABF officers found another air cargo package, declared as paper plates, allegedly containing a manual capsule filling and joining machine.
Two days later another package was found allegedly containing 1kg of illicit steroids concealed within food packaging.
Local police, drug squad specialists and Fire and Rescue NSW HAZMAT crews all worked to safely dismantle the laboratory on Wednesday.
Blacktown Police Commander Detective Superintendent Trent King said the arrest had “prevented the potential manufacture and distribution of illicit substances throughout our local community”.
“Our strong working relationships will navigate any detection at the border to ensure we continue to disrupt crime and investigate those involved [allegedly involved] in criminal activity, in turn, making our streets safer,” Det Supt King said.
ABF Regional Investigations Superintendent Garry Low said “our officers continue to demonstrate their skills and expertise when it comes to identifying mail and cargo packages that are out of the ordinary”.
Supt Low said they would allege the steroids were created in the actor’s residential kitchen, using basic tools like beakers, burners and a pill press.
Police used covert surveillance to track the packages to the 33-year-old’s home, he said.
“At this point of the investigation, early testing has shown that the steroids were cut with other chemicals — these are unknown chemicals at this point but they are potentially deadly,” Supt Low said.
Det Supt King said the seizure would make a “significant” dent in the steroid supply in Western Sydney. The street value was still being determined, he said.
“At this stage the investigation is ongoing, but we are very happy with the result of the investigation at this stage,” Det Supt King said.
NSW Police are investigating whether other people were involved.
Supt Low said the bust showed his officers investigated every detail, no matter how small.
“Officers screen items on their own knowledge base, and their own skill set. In this case I’d like to think it was their own intuition that thought this doesn’t look right,” he said.
“As a result it was reported, it was reported to NSW police and also sparked ABF’s interest. That’s the message here it doesn’t matter how small it is we will look into things that raise our suspicions
Investigations continue.
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