Illegal steroids being manufactured in Malta and sold for large profits - reports

A number of types of anabolic steroids are being illegally manufactured in laboratories in Malta, with the manufacturers making hefty profits off their sale, according to reports.

Illum reported on Sunday that the steroids - which are sold as pills, having been imported to Malta in powder form and processed using special machines purchased online - cost around 2c or 3c each to manufacture, but are being sold for 40c or 50c per pill.

The type of machine used to manufacture the pills is very similar to the one used to make MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy.

The steroids, identified as Dianabol, Stanozolol and Anavar, are sold in batches of 100 for €40 to €50 a packet, the newspaper said. Users, who include both athletes and body builders, take around five to 10 such pills each day, with each batch lasting for 10 to 20 days. The drugs are taken in cycles lasting three to four months.

Other types of steroids, namely Sustanon, Nandrolone Decanoate, Trenbolone Acetate and Testosterone Cypionate, are also being manufactured and sold in doses of 10ml for €35, to be injected intramuscularly.

The newspaper said that the market for the steroids is so large that, apart from being sold in Malta, they are also being exported abroad by courier to places such as Germany, Cyprus and Sicily.

Anabolic steroids stimulate muscle growth and can lead to quicker and more substantial results for those looking to increase their size and improve their performance.

They however bring which them substantial health risks, such as changes in cholesterol levels, liver damage, high blood pressure, acne and heart damage. They have also been associated with hormonal imbalances such as testicular shrinkage and gynecomastia.

It is illegal to sell or purchase such steroids without a doctor’s prescription, and those doing so risk a prison sentence. Sources within the body building sector, however, told Illum that the authorities don’t consider anabolic steroids to be on the same level as recreational drugs such as cocaine, heroin and ecstasy.