NSW police bust internal steroid smuggling ring

Trust the NSW cops to go after something that is relatively harmless

A SECRET internal police investigation has smashed a steroid smuggling ring operating inside the NSW Police Force.

The two-year operation, codenamed Oklahoma, exposed at least eight serving officers allegedly using and distributing non-prescribed steroids, anabolic steroids and human growth hormones, the Sunday Telegraph reports.

The investigation focused on a group called the "Tamworth four", who Industrial Relations Commission documents alleged ran the steroid ring and talked about taking out a fellow officer who could have endangered their operation.

Details of the operation, which ran until last year, were revealed in a Commission hearing where an officer sacked for steroid use lodged an unsuccessful bid to get his job back. Constable Matthew Walsh claimed his sacking by police commissioner Andrew Scipione last June was harsh.

The Commission heard that using listening devices on mobile and police station phones, Operation Oklahoma's initial target was Tamworth senior constable Nathan McCulloch - a 15-year veteran of the NSW Police Force.

It was told the ring involved three other officers including McCulloch's wife, Elisa Maree McCulloch, a senior constable with 20 years' experience.

Another senior constable, Terri Whitton, was recorded having conversations with officers about sourcing steroids from her then boyfriend Ben Wilson - a forward for the Wee Waa Panthers rugby league team.

Constable Matthew Walsh admitted to using steroids sourced from McCulloch on multiple occasions, the court heard. He also admitted to being aware that the steroids were imported over the internet from Thailand and from other people in Australia.

All four officers were either sacked from the force or allowed to resign.

The documents also revealed the group was linked to local business people, rugby league players and at least four other serving officers, including one in Queensland who was known as "Fridge". None were prosecuted due to a lack of evidence, a police source said.

The four sacked officers were hauled before the Police Integrity Commission.

Evidence given in the Industrial Commission was that the steroids were imported via post from Thailand and from a local network in the Tamworth area.

When police raided McCulloch's home in 2008 he allegedly sent an SMS to his wife which said: "get the steroids out of the house".

Before that, the Commission heard that investigating officers intercepted a phone call between McCulloch and Walsh where they discussed another officer, Troy "Ling Ling" Rowland, who they said was "skiting off about the perfume", referring to pro-growth hormones. The two men discussed "doing a Brasco on him", Commission documents said. Asked if that meant "taking him out", Walsh said: "Yeah, possibly."

Whitton was ordered in Armidale Court to perform 150 community service hours after being convicted of giving false or misleading evidence to a commission on March 11.

Nathan McCulloch was fined $2500 after he was convicted on five charges including possessing an illegal steroidal agent, forging a prescription and drug supply. Elisa McCulloch was charged but was not convicted.

The NSW Police Drug and Alcohol Policy states that officers are prohibited from using anabolic steroids or other steroids unless they are prescribed by a doctor for medical reasons.

A NSW Health spokesman said it is illegal to possess non-prescribed steroids. A spokesman for the NSW Department of Health said all were anabolic steroids which are illegal unless prescribed by a doctor.

SOURCE