Criminal group sentenced for illegal steroid supply

Six people have been sentenced for their role in supplying illegal anabolic steroids across the UK and abroad.

The organised criminal group were sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Monday (13 October) seven years after they were found to be running a business selling illegal steroids.

Officers became aware of the business back in 2018 executing a warrant at a unit on Stafford Park in Telford, where they discovered a laboratory for making class C drugs.

At the same time as the warrant at Stafford Park, officers executed another at an address Telford where more class C drugs, believed to be illegal steroids were found with £17,565 in cash. Two people, David Panasiuk and Jessica Panasiuk, were arrested at the scene.

An investigation was launched, which showed the illegal business has been running since 2012 whereby 'raw' steroids were being imported into the UK from China.

It was also discovered that the steroids were being made in an uncontrolled environment, meaning that not all products were sterile or dosed correctly, which could cause users to become unwell.

Once made the steroids would be worth an estimated £500,000.

Officers also uncovered that more people were involved in the production, and identified Scott Etherington who was based in Durham as the leader of the group.

Bank statements showed that Etherington had made payments of around £230,000 to other members of the gang, and that he was living a lavish lifestyle buying sports cars, large amounts of cryptocurrency and a number of properties.

Etherington was found to have a number of businesses registered under his name, including a clothing brand called Gear Heads Clothing Ltd. 

The court was told how the clothing company was a front for the illegal laboratory, named D4NET, a known steroid brand amongst steroid users in the UK and abroad.

In 2020, six people were charged for their role in the illegal production, and on Monday they were sentenced for their role in the illegal operation after pleading guilty:

• Scott Etherington, aged 49, of Turnbull Crescent in Seaham Durham, was sentenced to four years for conspiracy to supply class C drugs
• David Panasiuk, aged 42, of Leegomery in Telford, was sentenced to three years for conspiracy to supply class C drugs
• Aaron Phipps, aged 40, of Dunsheath in Telford, was sentenced to two years, suspended for two years for conspiracy to supply class C drugs.
• Michael North, aged 36, of Patridge Drive in Ketley, Telford, was sentenced to two years, suspended for two years for conspiracy to acquire/use/possess criminal property.
• Malcolm Wheeler, aged 47, of Grosvenor Place in St Austell, Cornwall, was sentenced to two years, suspended for two years for conspiracy to supply class C drugs.
• Jessica Panasiuk, aged 32, of Leegomery in Telford, was handed a 12-month community order for acquiring criminal property

Detective Sergeant Rob Davies, West Mercia’s serious and organised crime co-ordinator, said: "We are pleased to secure this sentence for this organised criminal gang, who knowingly manufactured and sold illegal class C drugs across the UK and abroad.

"We cannot hide from the fact there is a whole community of people in the UK who use steroids, and how they trusted D4NET to be a safe choice, not knowing underground labs were used to produce these products.

"This investigation shows that Etherington’s customers were sold a lie. The products were marketed to have the correct doses and appear to be made in laboratory conditions, which was not the case. 

"Evidence uncovered in this investigation saw that the raw ingredients were left out in the open air in an untidy and unsanitary conditions, including vials being sold that were contaminated with human hairs.

"In addition to this, the group offered advice to steroid users on what products to take and how, without the proper training or experience to deliver such advice, which can cause devastating health problems.

"Many underground steroid labs market themselves as being part of the community of users, but in fact the only motivation in this case was making as much money as possible, at the detriment of the health of the people purchasing these poorly made products."

Anyone concerned about the steroid supply they are using should contact their GP or visit the FRANK website: Honest information about drugs | FRANK