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Trent Matthew Young, 37, pleads guilty to importing illegal steroids after ABF shed raid in Adelaide’s northern suburbs

A man charged after authorities found kilograms of performance and image-enhancing drugs during a raid in Adelaide’s northern suburbs has entered a plea.

A northern suburbs gym junkie has confessed to illegally importing performance enhancing drugs, and dealing in tens of thousands of dollars in proceeds of crime.

Trent Matthew Young, 37, of Redwood Park, stood silently in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday morning as the court heard he’d be confessing to the charges against him.

Young was originally charged with four counts of importing prohibited tier 1 goods after Australian Border Force officers executed a search warrant at a property in Salisbury Plains in May last year.

At the address, ABF officers allegedly found a shed which contained various pill presses, glassware and steroid vials, which suggested performance and image-enhancing drugs (PIEDS) were being manufactured at the premises.

Officers seized 7.5kg of powders labelled as hormones and steroids, 21 boxes of prescription medication, 500 clenbuterol hydrochloride tablets, PIED packaging labels, a large quantity of domestic mail packaging material, six mobile phones and seven credit cards in various names.

Trent Young, who confessed to importing steroids, leaving the Adelaide Magistrates Court after his first appearance. Picture: NewsWire/Brenton Edwards
Trent Young, who confessed to importing steroids, leaving the Adelaide Magistrates Court after his first appearance. Picture: NewsWire/Brenton Edwards
Performance and image enhancing drugs seized by the Australian Border Force after a search at a Salisbury property. Picture: Supplied by ABF
Performance and image enhancing drugs seized by the Australian Border Force after a search at a Salisbury property. Picture: Supplied by ABF

SA Police officers were also at the scene, and further seized two pill presses, a vacuum pump, large amounts of suspicious liquids, prescription medication and vials and containers.

On Thursday, Young pleaded guilty to three counts of intentionally importing prohibited goods including human growth hormones, being reckless to the fact the importation was prohibited.

The court heard he had imported the goods through the post between December 19, 2023 and March 8, 2024. The packages were addressed to multiple other names.

He further pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to import prohibited items, including anabolic-androgenic steroids, after placing more online orders.

He also confessed to dealing with money that was, and he believed to be, proceeds of crime at the value of $50,000 or more.

Young will remain on bail until his next appearance in the District Court in September, when a date will be set for sentencing submissions.

Images released by the ABF after Young’s arrest show multiple packages of both powdered and liquid substances in bags and bottles.

The haul of drugs included powders and tablets. Picture: Supplied by ABF
The haul of drugs included powders and tablets. Picture: Supplied by ABF
Young was charged after the raid in May 2024. Picture: Supplied by ABF
Young was charged after the raid in May 2024. Picture: Supplied by ABF

After the raid in May, ABF Inspector Steve Garden said performance enhancing drugs can have severe impacts on users.

Our officers undergo world class training to detect and respond to illegal activity and protect the Australian community,” Inspector Garden said.

“We will not allow any illegal gains, nor any other who seeks to profit by exploiting the Australian border.”

Originally published as Trent Matthew Young, 37, pleads guilty to importing illegal steroids after ABF shed raid in Adelaide’s northern suburbs

Original URL: https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/south-australia/trent-matthew-young-37-pleads-guilty-to-importing-illegal-steroids-after-abf-shed-raid-in-adelaides-northern-suburbs/news-story/bad56ada78066e19b4950da00c4297bd