The CourierMail claims 'Australian Mastermind' behind giant doping conspiracy

In a very secretive story, the Australian newspaper the CourierMail says an 'Australian mastermind' lies behind a huge conspiracy to export steroids out of China.  Story Here:

AUTHORITIES fear an Australian expatriate in China is the mastermind of an Olympic doping operation after a giant steroids shipment was intercepted.

Customs agents discovered 40kg of steroids in a shipment from China at Port Botany in Sydney, prompting a global investigation involving US drug investigators.

They have tracked the source of the drugs to an Australian-born man who is based in China.

Authorities fear he could be part of a syndicate attempting to supply substances to cheating athletes at the Beijing Olympics in August.

"He is possibly targeting the Olympics," Australian Customs national investigations manager Richard Janeczko said.

"Customs is working with international partners to establish his whereabouts in China. But given where the Games are being held it is a concern."

Talk about mysterious?  Who is this mastermind?  The Australian version of Victor Conte?

(The Australian Anti-Doping agency has been) working with Chinese anti-doping agents and the US Drug Enforcement Agency.

The record haul was intercepted in March last year at Port Botany.

The steroids were disguised in bulk canisters labelled "amino acids".

The shipment, in powder form, weighed 80kg, with 40kg of the active performance-enhancing substance.

"We believe there is a demand for this sort of stuff in Australia," Mr Janeczko said. "These quantities most likely would have been turned into tablets or capsules."

He said China was a logical source of performance-enhancing drugs because of its vast chemical industry.

"The Chinese are really being quite cooperative," he said. "Because of China's large chemical manufacturing sector, both it and India are the places you go to get this stuff."

ASADA chief executive Richard Ings said that while he could not comment, "as a matter of policy, there is a seamless sharing of information between ASADA and Customs on matters of mutual interest".