Record-breaking powerlifter avoids jail after being caught with 110 MDMA caps

A world record-breaking powerlifter with thousands of Instagram fans has avoided jail after being caught with 110 MDMA caps in his car.

Yuan is described a “personal trainer (who) specialises in strength training, muscle building and fat loss”. Picture: Instagram

A heavily tattooed champion weightlifter who has broken several world records and shares his inspirational story with thousands of followers on Instagram has avoided jail after being caught with 110 MDMA tablets in his car.

Weifeng Yuan — known as Kevin Yuan who runs his own personal fitness service KY Fitness — was pulled up by undercover cops on December 14, 2018 in Sydney’s CBD in his black Ford Mustang.

It came after police had watched the 24-year-old’s car pull up near the Clock Hotel in Surry Hills and approach a woman who appeared to be texting as she waited for someone.

According to court documents, police in an unmarked car saw the woman step inside the Mustang. She was then driven off to a cul-de-sac and quickly returned.

Police found 110 ten MDMA caps in Weifeng Yuan’s Ford Mustang. Picture: Instagram

When she got back and stepped out of the car, police officers said they heard a man she had been waiting with ask “have you got it?”, and she replied “yes”, according to the documents.

Police then approached the woman and found ten clear caps of MDMA, which she admitted buying for $250.

The undercover cops then looked at her phone and saw encrypted messages on Wickr — an app which police say is “commonly used by drug users and suppliers” in its statement of facts.

This led police officers in a separate and nearby cop car to follow the Mustang — eventually stopping Yuan on the corner of Pitt St of Eddy Ave near Central Station.

Yuan was alone and he told police he had been “just driving around” when he was asked what he was doing.

When police officers asked who the woman who had jumped in his car was, he said “she’s my friend she wanted to borrow some money”.

Yuan has broken several national and global records in powerlifting. Picture: Instagram

“During the conversation, the accused appeared nervous as his hands were shaking and he was breathing quite fast,” the police statement of facts reads.

It was then that police found a black Adidas backpack in the car containing 11 clear resealable bags with purple seals which contained 10 MDMA caps in each.

Police say there was a total of 110 caps — in packaging which was the same as that found on the woman caught earlier.

According to court documents, there was $185 in the car’s console cup holder. Police also found three blister packs with 29 Fempro tablets and four loose yellow tablets labelled DM5.

Police searched Yuan’s phone and found the same Wickr messages as those found on the woman’s phone.

Yuan has thousands of Instagram followers. Picture: Instagram

He also works as a personal trainer. Picture: Instagram

Yuan pleaded guilty to two charges of supplying a prohibited drug, one charge of dealing with property proceeds of crime less than $100,000 and one count of possessing a prohibited drug.

Appearing for sentencing today at Downing Centre Local Court, Yuan’s solicitor Avni Djemal said his client had been “going through a bad time” when he was arrested.

Mr Djemal said Yuan is an “elite sportsman” who has broken numerous national and world records in powerlifting.

Yuan’s Instagram page, which is followed by almost 3500 people, shows pictures of him now in comparison to when he was a teenager.

Yuan has shared several ‘before and after’ pictures on his social media pages. Picture: Instagram

Mr Djemal said his client — who he said was a “skinny, bulimic kid when he was 13” — had “ongoing mental health issues” which he was dealing with.

On his KY Fitness website, Yuan is described a “personal trainer (who) specialises in strength training, muscle building and fat loss”.

He was given a two-year conditional release order and ordered to continue his treatment.