poor old philosopher rocky balboa taking too many pills

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/australasia/article2353228.ece

Australia charges Stallone over 'banned substance'
AP
Published: 13 March 2007

The Hollywood actor Sylvester Stallone has been charged with importing
a banned substance into Australia.

The 60-year-old star of the "Rocky" and "Rambo" movies now faces a
stiff fine for allegedly trying to bring vials of a muscle-building
hormone into Australia, where it is restricted.

Prosecution documents handed to a Sydney court today said Stallone had
marked "No" on a customs declaration card that asked if he was
bringing into Australia restricted or prohibited goods "such as
medicines, steroids, firearms, weapons, or any kind of illicit drugs."

But an X-ray of bags among his entourage on their arrival on 16
February - to promote Stallone's latest "Rocky Balboa" movie -
prompted a search that revealed 48 vials of the human growth hormone
product Jintropin, made by Chinese firm GeneSciene Pharmaceuticals,
the court heard.

Stallone and his team were held at Sydney airport for several hours
after arriving on a scheduled Qantas Airways flight. His hotel room
and the private jet he planned to fly out on were searched three days
later, when he was handed a summons by customs officials to face
court.

"You have not been validly prescribed the goods by a medical
practitioner for any medical condition suffered by you and for which
the goods are recognized medical treatment," Stallone was told in a
customs document handed to the court Tuesday.

Stallone did not appear in the Sydney Local Court for today's hearing,
and was excused from appearing at another hearing scheduled for 24
April as long as a lawyer appears on his behalf. He will be required
to enter a plea at the next hearing.

Human growth hormone, a naturally occurring substance that can be
replicated synthetically and is used to build muscle mass, is
considered a performance enhancing drug in Australia and it cannot be
imported without a permit from the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

The court can only impose a fine of 22,000 Australian dollars (US
$17,000).

During his visit to Australia, Stallone shrugged off the airport
incident.

"It was just a minor misunderstanding," Stallone told reporters "They
were just doing their jobs. I just didn't understand some of the rules
here."

On May 15, 1:04 am, sirbl....TakeThisOut@hotmail.com wrote:
> http://news.independent.co.uk/world/australasia/article2353228.ece
>
> Australia charges Stallone over 'banned substance'
> AP
> Published: 13 March 2007
>
> The Hollywood actor Sylvester Stallone has been charged with importing
> a banned substance into Australia.
>
> The 60-year-old star of the "Rocky" and "Rambo" movies now faces a
> stiff fine for allegedly trying to bring vials of a muscle-building
> hormone into Australia, where it is restricted.
>
> Prosecution documents handed to a Sydney court today said Stallone had
> marked "No" on a customs declaration card that asked if he was
> bringing into Australia restricted or prohibited goods "such as
> medicines, steroids, firearms, weapons, or any kind of illicit drugs."
>
> But an X-ray of bags among his entourage on their arrival on 16
> February - to promote Stallone's latest "Rocky Balboa" movie -
> prompted a search that revealed 48 vials of the human growth hormone
> product Jintropin, made by Chinese firm GeneSciene Pharmaceuticals,
> the court heard.
>
> Stallone and his team were held at Sydney airport for several hours
> after arriving on a scheduled Qantas Airways flight. His hotel room
> and the private jet he planned to fly out on were searched three days
> later, when he was handed a summons by customs officials to face
> court.
>
> "You have not been validly prescribed the goods by a medical
> practitioner for any medical condition suffered by you and for which
> the goods are recognized medical treatment," Stallone was told in a
> customs document handed to the court Tuesday.
>
> Stallone did not appear in the Sydney Local Court for today's hearing,
> and was excused from appearing at another hearing scheduled for 24
> April as long as a lawyer appears on his behalf. He will be required
> to enter a plea at the next hearing.
>
> Human growth hormone, a naturally occurring substance that can be
> replicated synthetically and is used to build muscle mass, is
> considered a performance enhancing drug in Australia and it cannot be
> imported without a permit from the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
>
> The court can only impose a fine of 22,000 Australian dollars (US
> $17,000).
>
> During his visit to Australia, Stallone shrugged off the airport
> incident.
>
> "It was just a minor misunderstanding," Stallone told reporters "They
> were just doing their jobs. I just didn't understand some of the rules
> here."

Oh, that Rocky.