A husband and wife duo, prominent figures in the personal training, bodybuilding, and figure competition worlds of Australia, had their lives come crashing down in early 2017 when federal agents busted them for the illegal importation and distribution of anabolic steroids and other controlled substances.
Eve Howe, both a personal fitness trainer and IFBB figure competitor with a skyhigh profile in the fitness community of Australia, and her husband Shane were busted bringing insignificant shipments of anabolic steroids and other substances from overseas and using their profile in the fitness community to peddle these drugs illegally.
Australian Federal Police intercepted a package coming through the Australian post containing these illegal substances in 2017 (February 2017) and decided to allow the package to continue on to its ultimate destination to learn more about the drug ring that these two individuals were responsible for operating.
Between February 2017 and July 2017 federal agents kept a close watch on these two individuals, tracking their business dealings and their behavior and preparing for a raid on their property.
Initially suspecting that the two individuals were responsible for selling Ecstasy, federal agents served search warrants in July 2017 and discovered the extent of the steroid ring that was being conducted here.
More than 4000 steroid pills were discovered in a single package right inside the entryway of the home that this married couple shared, and more pills were discovered hidden inside of coffee cans and other obscure locations throughout the property.
Shane had attempted to escape arrest after being alerted to the federal search warrant being executed on his property by jumping a plane and flying out of Australia. However, he was caught by police agents at the airport and these arresting agents found 780 steroid pills that Shane had on his person at the time of his arrest.
Investigators worked closely with local police force representatives to piece together how this operation worked, and were stunned at the sophistication of this underground laboratory. Both of these individuals were responsible for importing raw steroid powder and other ingredients from overseas locations (particularly China) and then worked to fabricate steroid products inside of a laboratory that was located in Papua New Guinea.
The finished products were then transported from Papua New Guinea to Australia for final distribution, with investigating agents recording multiple sales between February 2017 and July 2017. Anabolic steroids and other controlled substances – all of which relate to the performance-enhancing benefits these drugs offer – were the drugs being peddled, with investigators finding no evidence of Ecstasy being sold by the married couple.
Initially, Eve attempted to tell investigators that she was nothing more than an unwilling and unwitting accomplice to the activities of her husband Shane. She initially said that she had absolutely nothing to do with the steroid business, though she was aware of its operation, something that investigators found to be less than truthful almost immediately.
Shane was initially quite forthcoming about the underground operation with investigators after his arrest at the airport, going so far as to tell the arresting officers that he had used anabolic steroids for more than 20 years. Both he and his wife were competitive bodybuilders, both admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs, and both (eventually) came around to admitting that they were in fact responsible for the entirety of this anabolic steroid operation.
Shane was released on his own personal recognizance before his trial, at which point he took advantage of this opportunity to flee the country and has still yet to be arrested. Eve stood trial and faced the music, a factor that allowed her to see her entire prison sentence commuted – though she’ll have to deal with years of probation.
It’s unlikely that this married couple will find a way to reconcile their relationship from here on out.
Source: https://www.steroid.com/blog/Figure-Competitor-Eve-Howe-Accepts-Punishment-While-Husband-Flees-the-Country-in-Steroid-Case.php