Andrew Strogylos jailed after pleading guilty to supplying, manufacturing prohibited drugs

Police raided a southwest Sydney home last year after a tip-off that a bodybuilder was dealing drugs out of his home, and uncovered a stash of drugs including steroids. Here’s what the magistrate had to say.

A bodybuilder who was dealing steroids out of his southwest Sydney home revealed that an assault in custody was a wake-up call for him and the life he was living.

Andrew Strogylos, 40, pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying prohibited drugs and one count of manufacturing a prohibited drug and fronted Campbelltown District Court on Friday for sentencing.

More than 15 other drug-related offences were taken into account, but Strogylos was not convicted of them.

Court documents revealed that police raided his Belmore home in February 2021 after a tip-off in November the year before.

Officers uncovered illegal drugs including testosterone, meth, heroin and MDMA. They also found multiple items used for the making and packaging of steroids.

Andrew Strogylos

In court on Friday, Magistrate Peter McGrath acknowledged that Strogylos had an addiction to drugs, and that some of the substances manufactured would have been for his own use.

“It was an enterprise conducted from the bedroom of his premises and involved the supply or deemed supply of relatively small quantities of the drugs in question,” he said.

“The Crown submits there was a significant degree of planning involved but it was not an operation in respect of which the offender used separated premises, false names or encrypted devices.”

Magistrate McGrath spoke of how evidence before the court revealed Strogylos had described a binge drinking pattern from his teens up until the age of 25 and he became a poly drug user from a young age.

“[Strogylos] was clean for some years in his 20’s until being introduced to a gym where steroid use was encouraged ... his bodybuilding and steroid use was reinforced,” he said.

“Mr Strogylos in his evidence acknowledged the offences … and explained the commission in the context of his drug using lifestyle.

“He spoke of the drug use filling a void in his life.”

Campbelltown Courthouse. Picture: Angelo Velardo

Magistrate McGrath said he accepted that Strogylos had a difficult early life that led to his drug use but did not accept that he “had a background of such extreme dysfunction and deprivation”.

“He has been diagnosed by the psychologist as suffering from substance abuse disorder … he has also been diagnosed as having underlying depression,” he said.

“It is noteworthy that on going into custody for the offences, a noted change has taken place … he gave evidence which I accept that he has not taken drugs since he has been in custody since this occasion.

“He suffered an assault in the locker room by fellow inmates … which caused him complex facial fractures … he told me that the assault in custody was a real wake-up call and made him reevaluate his life.”

Magistrate McGrath sentenced him to three years in jail, backdated to commence on July 8, 2021, with a non-parole period of 20 months. Strogylos will be eligible for parole from March 7, 2023.