Canberra man Wei Wang charged with importing steroids

A Chinese national charged with importing anabolic and androgenic steroids has faced court for the first time.

Wei Wang leaves ACT Law Courts on January 11. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

A Chinese national accused of importing illegal steroids into the country had an opportunity to flee the charges during a recent trip to Taiwan, a court has heard.
The Australian Federal Police allege Chinese national Wei Wang imported anabolic and androgenic steroids between June 24, 2022, and December 12, 2022.

Mr Wang has been charged with six counts of importing prohibited tier goods, yet when he faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday, prosecutors had not finalised the particulars of all charges.

Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker formally charged Mr Wang with one of the charges, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Wei Wang (right) leaves ACT Law Courts with his lawyer Michael Kukulies-Smith on January 11. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

Wang’s lawyer, Michael Kukulies-Smith applied for bail, which was opposed by crown prosecutors who claimed Mr Wang was a flight risk.

Mr Kukulies-Smith told the court members of border force had approached Mr Wang on December 15 when he was at an airport on his way to visit his wife’s family in Taiwan.

He told the court border force officers seized a card and $60,000 in cash from Mr Wang, however he was still able to travel overseas.

“That was the time to flee,” Mr Kukulies-Smith said.

“He knew then he was a person of interest, he could have not returned.

“ (Mr Wang returning to Australia) is not consistent with a high risk of flight.”

Mr Kukulies-Smith said his client’s passport had been seized since his arrest, and said he was willing to comply with orders to not apply for a new passport.

Wei Wang (right) allegedly imported steroids. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

He said Mr Wang was in Australia on a student visa because his wife was studying and said he had significant ties to the ACT.

Additionally, crown prosecutors raised concerns Mr Wang could communicate with other persons of interests in the investigation.

However, Mr Kukulies-Smith said prosecutors were not able to give him names of said persons of interests prior to the bail hearing – leaving him unable to draft potential bail conditions.

Rebutting prosecutors’ concerns his client could destroy evidence using his mobile devices, Mr Kukulies-Smith told the court police had already seized some of Mr Wang’s electronic devices.

Prosecutors told the court they believed Mr Wang had used up to four aliases during his alleged offending.

Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker said she wasn’t satisfied there was enough evidence to refuse bail, and briefly stood the matter down to allow parties to discuss potential bail conditions.

When his matter resumed, Ms Walker granted Mr Wang bail with conditions he reside in the suburb of Flynn, report to the Belconnen police station three times a week, not to contact a named person of interest, not to be within 100 metres of any port of departure and not to leave the ACT.

“That means you can’t go shopping in Queanbeyan … you can’t go to (capital region NSW) wineries,” she said.

Mr Wang will return to court on March 22 for a pre-hearing mention.