A steroid dealer could achieve the reduction of the tax from 52 million dollars just to 2, 000 dollars

A special drug tax is required in the state of Louisiana for sales of steroids. This drug tax exists in this state for the past 20 years. Thus, Todd Matherne, a distributor of steroids was enforced to pay 52 million dollars because he sold a lot of steroids with the labels of the “Zencall Labs”. This steroid dealer was sentenced to 7 years in prison but he served 3 years of them.
In fact, Todd Matherne didn’t know the Louisiana’s drug stamp law. But when he was released from the jail, he studied this law. As a result, this steroid dealer filed a lawsuit against the State of Louisiana, confirming that it was too cruel to enforce him to pay 52 million of dollars. This person pointed out that it had been an unusual and even too cruel decision. This distributor of steroids claimed that his rights were violated.
The Louisiana Department of Revenue didn’t fight against this person in the court. It was decided to achieve agreement in this case. Thus, the tax was decreased essentially. According to the new settlement, this steroid dealer had to pay only 2, 000 dollars instead of 52 million dollars. Nonetheless, the drug tax law has remained in Louisiana but its constitutionality is still discussed.
John Williams, a specialist in drug prosecution for the Louisiana District Attorney Association, noticed that certain laws in different other states were ruled unconstitutionally. He added that it was the same with the drug tax law in Louisiana. But since some laws try to criminal twice the same crime, they may be lifted.
This specialist mentioned that this law couldn’t work well because it might exclude criminal prosecution. This expert for drug prosecution from Louisiana pointed out that the drug tax law was not being used because a criminal case could be lost in exchange only for taxes.
There is also another reason that may explain why law enforcements do not agree to impose the drug tax law in Louisiana. Law enforcements do not support this law because the taxes don’t go to law enforcement; they go to state agencies.
According to drug tax law, the tax of 200 dollars is indicated per 1 g of anabolic steroids, if they are distributed by weight. If steroids are sold by dosage units, it is indicated to pay 400 dollars for 10 dose units.
As for Todd Matherne, he was a steroid dealer of the huge underground lab called “Zencall Labs”. The Louisiana State Police busted “Zencall labs” in 2005. More than 10, 000 tablets and 300 capsules of Winstrol, more than 6, 000 tablets of Anadrol, 3,500 tablets and 1, 900 capsules of Cialis, 1, 5000 capsules of Tamoxifen, 2, 400 capsules of Clomid, 800 capsules of Anabol and 600 capsules of Dianabol were seized by the police officers. Moreover, more than 700 vials of injectable anabolic steroids and some pounds of raw steroid powder were also seized.