CODE Sports Investigations: Drug dealer takes us inside Australia’s underworld for sport cheats

A black market dealer claims that peptides have surpassed steroids to become the most sought after performance-enhancers, as cheating athletes go to extreme lengths to get ahead.

A black market dealer who helps cheating athletes beat drug testers has revealed that peptides have surpassed steroids as the most sought after performance-enhancer.

The underworld figure, who says he clears $200,000 a year selling a range of illegal and prescription drugs, is supplying television personalities, budding sports stars and everyday mum and dads who want to look younger.

Tracked down by Code Sport as part of the investigation into supplements, the dealer – speaking on the strict condition of anonymity – has lifted the lid on the trends and dirty tactics used by drug cheats, including the use of prosthetic penises to fool testers.

Under the pseudonym Gary, the dealer revealed that athletes have moved away from steroids because testers will target those who grow quickly or have a surge in performance in a short space of time.

“Peptides are safer, it’s a lot closer to your natural count so there’s a better chance of getting away with it,” Gary said.

“If you get tested by ASADA they find out. But if you don’t look a certain way, on steroids you’ll look like a beast overnight, within six weeks you look like an Adonis.

“But with peptides, it’s a slow progression.

“These drug testers don’t sit around and go, ‘Who are we testing today?’ They look at who is performing out of sight, who is looking leaner, who is looking stronger?

What cost is perfection? The black market for supplements has exploded in Australia

“Look at [NRL star] Junior Paulo, you know he’s playing well but you also know he’s not on anything because he’s too f---ing fat. If you’re on something, you look the part too. When they’re still a bit chubby, you know it’s their natural motor.

“So the testers don’t just pick a name out of a hat. It’s normally because a complaint has been made about an athlete, their rivals and other coaches will complain to ASADA if they think someone’s cheating.

“With peptides, there’s a slower increase in your power and endurance. You’re not going to stand out in six weeks, so they like to use that.

“And it is a lot easier to get your hands on, very easy to get peptides, a couple of years ago you could even get SARMs at supplement stores, you could probably still do it now.

“You go to a health clinic, do a blood test, they say you can have an IGF, MGF, HCG, SARMs, you go to a compound chemist and they do it up. Very simple, you just pay a doctor to give you a prescription and they do it.

“Not like steroids, they’re a different class of drug.”

SOCIAL MEDIA DRIVING THE CRAZE

Gary is raking in six figures simply by setting up an Instagram page that has algorithms designed to reach those who are searching for supplements and performance-enhancing drugs.

“I’ve got a page on Instagram that mentions some stuff I have, if people are looking for it, they’ll generally come across my page,” he said.

“But I will only talk business on Signal, WhatsApp and Wickr, they’re all encrypted apps.

“They ask me what I’ve got, and I’ll send a list of everything I have.

“The people who come to me, you’d freak. It’s not just sports people, it’s celebrities, people on TV. Growth hormones, peptides, steroids, everyone comes to me for it.

Peptides are ‘safer’ than steroids

“Valiums, prescription meds, I’ve got a full list.”

The Queensland-based dealer has even helped professional fighters evade positive drug tests by advising them to use prosthetic penises filled with clean urine.

“A lot of guys in combat sports who are just coming up, and don’t have to fight overseas, they use it,” Gary said.

But it’s not just young athletes and gym junkies seeking Gary out for drugs.

“A lot of older people are asking for HGH because it’s basically the fountain of youth,” he said.

“It fixes your skin, it fixes your hair, but it’s very expensive, when you buy it with a prescription, it’ll cost you f---ing $300 for a dose, and you need a dose every two weeks. I sell it for $100 for the whole 10, 20 weeks.”

Gary said he accepts cash, bank transfers and cryptocurrency as payment methods.

Code Sport established with two leading fitness and health experts in Queensland that Gary was a sought-after supplier of supplements for their clients. They both added that black market drugs were also readily available in gyms and health stores if you knew who to ask.

HOW TO BUY WONDER DRUGS

Those who are after peptides, steroids or human growth hormones can access the drugs in a number of ways.

The easiest is to know “a friend of a friend” who works in a gym or health store that carries these drugs behind the counter or at their home. You walk in, ask for what you want and they’ll hand it over for cash.

But not everyone has the contacts.

Those who are novices go searching online.

On Instagram, if you search the right terms, you’ll inevitably be exposed to pages of black market dealers. A quick DM (direct message) will establish initial contact.

The dealer will then direct you to an encrypted messaging app, where the discussion of buying and selling of illegal drugs is protected by end-to-end encryption.

Buyers can ask for the product they’re after, the dealer will provide details of their consignment and prices.

Once a transaction is agreed upon, buyers can pay with cash, bank transfer or cryptocurrency.

The drugs will then be shipped to the buyer’s address, or can be collected at a designated location – usually at parks and warehouses.

Those who are after cheap prescription drugs can get a script from their doctor, pass it on to the black market dealer and they’ll source it in the same way as performance-enhancing drugs, although there is questionable quality control.

Originally published as CODE Sports Investigations: Drug dealer takes us inside Australia’s underworld for sport cheats