Hellenic Police shut down massive international steroid trafficking organization
Jordan Leventelis, the President of the Greek Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation, has been linked to a major international anabolic steroid trafficking organization operating out of Greece. The GBBF is affiliated with the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB).
The GBBF head was identified as the alleged mastermind behind the massive steroid trafficking operation according to sources cited by the English-language version of the Greek newspaper Kathimerini. He was one of eleven Greek nationals arrested by the Hellenic Police (ELAS) in connection with the operation.
The Hellenic Police and its Financial Crimes Division launched its investigation in April 2018. It culminated with the simultaneous raids of the suspects’ homes and other premises located in Attica, Crete and Epirus on November 5, 2018.
Eleven arrested for smuggling, dealing illegal steroids https://t.co/MpyKmibWDX pic.twitter.com/1iM1uWq2qk
— Kathimerini English Edition (@ekathimerini) November 6, 2018
Greek police discovered a clandestine underground laboratory that was used to manufacture anabolic steroids in a facility on the Greek island of Crete. A total of 141,639 units of anabolic steroids packaged in tablets, vials and ampules were seized. Recreational drugs were also confiscated including 301 sedatives, 40 tablets of Ecstasy (MDMA), 6,520 grams tobacco and 6.2 grams of cannabis. The total amount of cash seized was €155,499 EUR and $136 USD.
The organization’s leader allegedly oversaw the importation and smuggling of steroids into Greece from Poland and China. Many of the steroids and pharmaceuticals he imported were established brands from other labs that were already available from other internet sources.
The GBBF president also imported raw steroid powders and sent them to his clandestine laboratory in Crete according to police reprots. From there, he manufactured his own brand of finished steroid products. Police have not released the names of the labs involved. The names of the labs were intentionally blurred out in photographs provided by the police.
IFBB President Rafael Santonja and GBBF President Jordan Leventelis have a close relationship
The IFBB website features several photographs of GBBF president Leventelis. Leventelis is seen palling around and having dinner with IFBB President Rafael Santonja in one photo. Santonja has been the IFBB President since 2004.
Santonja has developed a close relationship with Leventelis and prominent Greek bodybuilding contest promoter Anastasios Koigkionis in recent years. Leventelis and Koigkionis helped promote an IFBB Elite Pro Event in Greece bearing the name of Santonja earlier this year. It was the first edition of “The President Santonja’s Cup”. The contest was hosted in the tourist town of Nafplio on March 22-23, 2018.
The Greek steroid bust is a major embarrassment for the IFBB. The IFBB, not to be confused with the legally-distinct non-drug tested IFBB Professional League, pretends to have a strong anti-doping policy with strict prohibitions against steroid use.
Santonja will have a lot of explaining to do with reports that his good friend and head of the Greek chapter of the IFBB is deeply involved in the steroid trade.
IFBB President Rafael Santonja having dinner with his Greek friends — GBBF president Jordan Leventelis and bodybuilding contest promoter Anastasios Koigkionis