They coerced workers at a beach bar in Arenales del Sol to take so-called vitamins that were supposed to boost performance. The consequences were alarming: hair loss, reduced appetite, extreme fatigue, and yet increased muscle mass. In a statement released by the Elche Police Station, the accounts of seven employees confirmed that anabolic drugs were administered to enhance job performance across the team.
The controversy began when one employee was hospitalized with a stomach perforation. Doctors noted that the symptoms matched those associated with anabolic drug use. The worker, shocked by the incident, filed a detailed complaint after being discharged, describing what had occurred over the summer season where he worked.
The investigation has been led by assigned officers. The Specialized and Violent Crime Unit of the Elche Police Station authorized the arrest of key individuals running the business, including the manager and the cook. According to the employee, the relationship with the company began with a manager offering him tablets, insisting they were vitamins and claiming that most workers received them. The employee said they were told these pills would boost vitality and work performance. He confirmed that others also received similar tablets in injectable form.
strong abdominal pain
During the summer, the worker experienced a range of symptoms: loss of appetite, weight fluctuations, hair loss, increased muscle mass, a deeper voice, and heightened aggression. He initially attributed these changes to workload fatigue, but in September he developed severe abdominal pain and required emergency surgery for a perforated stomach. This medical event unveiled a clear pattern of abuse. Accusations include crimes against public health, personal injury, and violations of workers’ rights, with multiple employees affected by the drug regimen, including a younger worker who began employment at age seventeen.
Investigators continued to verify the organization’s operations. Statements from other workers corroborated earlier testimony: two managers and the cook allegedly administered the substances, threatening dismissal if employees refused. Reported side effects included increased muscle mass, excess body hair, dizziness, fainting, and spontaneous nosebleeds. The pattern suggested a systematic abuse rather than isolated incidents.
Registration of industrial warehouse
Elche’s Special and Violent Crimes Unit attended the scene near Arenales del Sol, a beach-bar area, following reports of irregular activity. A subsequent search uncovered tablets that bore hallmarks of doping substances. Investigators traced the drugs to an industrial warehouse owned by the company, discovering traces of anabolic compounds on the premises. The Elche Police Station has not disclosed the exact name of the beach bar involved.
Workers experienced side effects such as increased muscle mass, body hair loss, dizziness… Fainting and spontaneous nosebleeds!
Spanish Medicines Agency
The police actions led to the arrest of five individuals on charges of crimes against public health, personal injury, and workers’ rights violations. All those involved were Spanish, ranging in age from mid-30s to late 50s, including at least one woman. In total, just over 100 tablets were sent to the Spanish Medicines Agency for analysis. A court inquiry is overseeing the proceedings, and authorities indicate the business at the Elche Police Station has been closed. The detained individuals were released following initial proceedings.
This incident is not isolated for the region. Earlier in the week, authorities also reported the arrest of a business owner for employing five foreign workers who were not legally registered with Social Security, highlighting broader concerns about labor and health standards in the area.