title: Seizures of doping substances at the Swiss Border--a descriptive investigation.
abstract: This retrospective study evaluates the content, the destination and the source of 960 postal items seized by the Swiss customs authorities at the Swiss border between 2013 and 2014. The packages were seized because they contained at least one prohibited doping product as identified by the Swiss law on encouraging sports and physical activity. A total number of 1825 different doping products were confiscated from these parcels, accounting for an average of 1.9 doping products per seized item. In 74% of the cases, where seizures were made, anabolic androgenic steroids, mostly testosterone esters, were discovered. An obvious trading channel for doping products was identified in this study. The seized compounds were predominately manufactured in Asian countries, but sent to Switzerland mostly via South Eastern Europe countries. Due to the unique collaboration between the Swiss customs authorities and the national anti-doping agency, this study uncovered an alarming trend of illegal doping product trafficked to Switzerland.
authors.affiliation: Antidoping Switzerland Foundation, Ittigen, Switzerland. Electronic address: christina.weber@antidoping.ch.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Antidoping Switzerland Foundation, Ittigen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamber
authors.affiliation: University of Teacher Education, State Vaud (HEP-VD), Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lentillon-Kaestner
authors.affiliation: Center for Preventive Doping Research/Institute of Biochemistry, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Krug
authors.affiliation: Center for Preventive Doping Research/Institute of Biochemistry, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thevis
keywords: Anabolic steroids; Doping products; Peptide hormones; Seizures; Switzerland; Trade