Ripped2Shreds
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Don't know if this was posted or not, but I just came across this article. Forgive me if this article is old news.
Lab found in raid of Metairie home
Three people were arrested on charges of selling illegal steroids over the Internet at a Metairie home during a raid on what authorities described Wednesday as the largest drug laboratory ever found in Jefferson Parish.
The suspects, Edward and Natalie Barton and Christopher Durel, were accused of manufacturing gamma butyrolactone, or GBL, a powerful steroid abused by body builders and sometimes used as a "date rape" drug, at the Bartons' home at 4701 Tabony St. They distributed the drug, along with other chemicals, through the Web site of their company, Liquid Research, Sheriff Harry Lee said.
Natalie Barton's aunt, Barbara Palestina, denied that the couple manufactured GBL. She said they ran a legal business, although its customers might use its products to make illegal substances.
"They sell health supplements over the Internet," she said. "If people are buying the stuff and putting them together, they can't control that. But they are not manufacturing steroids."
Palestina said her niece had checked with a lawyer in March before starting Liquid Research and was assured that everything was on the up and up.
"If they were doing something illegal, why would they be so traceable?" she said, alluding to the Internet advertising.
The company's Web site, www.liquidresearch.com, says its products are intended solely for laboratory research, not for preparation of illicit drugs or any other illegal purposes. The site advertises several chemical compounds, including tamoxifen citrate, a breast cancer drug; finasteride, a drug used to treat male pattern baldness; and sildenafil citrate, the drug known as Viagra.
Dr. Sahasi Phadtare, a medicinal chemist at Xavier University, said the Web site suggests the company was selling prescription drugs minus the prescription and making a hefty profit.
The three suspects were booked on various drug possession c harges. The Bartons' 3-year-old child, who was home during the raid Tuesday evening, was released into the custody of a relative.
Investigators are unsure of the scale of the Bartons' business.
"The investigation is still in its infancy," Lee said. "We are satisfied that the couple and their employees were distributing GBL and GHB over the Internet throughout the country."
Agents from the Sheriff's Office narcotics unit, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration participated in the raid. Two DEA chemists and a lab team were flown in from Dallas to collect evidence and analyze the chemicals taken from the house, said Robert Baggs, assistant agent in charge with the DEA regional office in Metairie.
Neighbors and any police officers not wearing protective clothing were kept away from the house as a precaution, Lee said. Air samples taken inside the house during the raid showed l ow oxygen levels.
"As of now, there's no danger to residents," Lee said.
The lab was on the second floor of the house, said Deputy Chief John Thevenot, head of the Sheriff's Office narcotics unit.
"We seized an awful lot of chemicals, too much to count," he said.
Investigators confiscated a customer list and more than 90 parcels containing several vials of GBL ready for shipping. Also taken were 647 dosage units of steroids, several bottles containing GBL, 12 grams of marijuana, several computers, shipping manifests and the book "Chemistry for Dummies," Sheriff's Office Detective Robert Gerdes said.
Thevenot would not say how authorities got wind of the Bartons' operation. Lee said the Sheriff's Office developed information in January that the couple was distributing steroids from the Tabony Street home. Baggs said his agents had been aware of the couple for some time before January.
Once authorities wrap up the investigation, The venot said, they will decide if the charges will be pursued on the state or federal level.
Natalie Barton, 25, was booked with creation of a clandestine laboratory, possession of GBL, possession of marijuana and possession of drugs in the presence of a minor.
Edward Barton, 27, was booked with possession with the intent to distribute anabolic steroids, creation of a clandestine laboratory, possession of GBL, possession of marijuana and possession of drugs in the presence of a minor.
Durel, 26, of 335 Papworth Ave. in Metairie, was booked with creation of a clandestine laboratory and possession of GBL.
Source: Everything New Orleans (www.nola.com)
Thursday February 05, 2004
By Michelle Hunter
East Jefferson bureau
Lab found in raid of Metairie home
Three people were arrested on charges of selling illegal steroids over the Internet at a Metairie home during a raid on what authorities described Wednesday as the largest drug laboratory ever found in Jefferson Parish.
The suspects, Edward and Natalie Barton and Christopher Durel, were accused of manufacturing gamma butyrolactone, or GBL, a powerful steroid abused by body builders and sometimes used as a "date rape" drug, at the Bartons' home at 4701 Tabony St. They distributed the drug, along with other chemicals, through the Web site of their company, Liquid Research, Sheriff Harry Lee said.
Natalie Barton's aunt, Barbara Palestina, denied that the couple manufactured GBL. She said they ran a legal business, although its customers might use its products to make illegal substances.
"They sell health supplements over the Internet," she said. "If people are buying the stuff and putting them together, they can't control that. But they are not manufacturing steroids."
Palestina said her niece had checked with a lawyer in March before starting Liquid Research and was assured that everything was on the up and up.
"If they were doing something illegal, why would they be so traceable?" she said, alluding to the Internet advertising.
The company's Web site, www.liquidresearch.com, says its products are intended solely for laboratory research, not for preparation of illicit drugs or any other illegal purposes. The site advertises several chemical compounds, including tamoxifen citrate, a breast cancer drug; finasteride, a drug used to treat male pattern baldness; and sildenafil citrate, the drug known as Viagra.
Dr. Sahasi Phadtare, a medicinal chemist at Xavier University, said the Web site suggests the company was selling prescription drugs minus the prescription and making a hefty profit.
The three suspects were booked on various drug possession c harges. The Bartons' 3-year-old child, who was home during the raid Tuesday evening, was released into the custody of a relative.
Investigators are unsure of the scale of the Bartons' business.
"The investigation is still in its infancy," Lee said. "We are satisfied that the couple and their employees were distributing GBL and GHB over the Internet throughout the country."
Agents from the Sheriff's Office narcotics unit, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration participated in the raid. Two DEA chemists and a lab team were flown in from Dallas to collect evidence and analyze the chemicals taken from the house, said Robert Baggs, assistant agent in charge with the DEA regional office in Metairie.
Neighbors and any police officers not wearing protective clothing were kept away from the house as a precaution, Lee said. Air samples taken inside the house during the raid showed l ow oxygen levels.
"As of now, there's no danger to residents," Lee said.
The lab was on the second floor of the house, said Deputy Chief John Thevenot, head of the Sheriff's Office narcotics unit.
"We seized an awful lot of chemicals, too much to count," he said.
Investigators confiscated a customer list and more than 90 parcels containing several vials of GBL ready for shipping. Also taken were 647 dosage units of steroids, several bottles containing GBL, 12 grams of marijuana, several computers, shipping manifests and the book "Chemistry for Dummies," Sheriff's Office Detective Robert Gerdes said.
Thevenot would not say how authorities got wind of the Bartons' operation. Lee said the Sheriff's Office developed information in January that the couple was distributing steroids from the Tabony Street home. Baggs said his agents had been aware of the couple for some time before January.
Once authorities wrap up the investigation, The venot said, they will decide if the charges will be pursued on the state or federal level.
Natalie Barton, 25, was booked with creation of a clandestine laboratory, possession of GBL, possession of marijuana and possession of drugs in the presence of a minor.
Edward Barton, 27, was booked with possession with the intent to distribute anabolic steroids, creation of a clandestine laboratory, possession of GBL, possession of marijuana and possession of drugs in the presence of a minor.
Durel, 26, of 335 Papworth Ave. in Metairie, was booked with creation of a clandestine laboratory and possession of GBL.
Source: Everything New Orleans (www.nola.com)
Thursday February 05, 2004
By Michelle Hunter
East Jefferson bureau
