Gym owner and doorman to pay over £500k after £2m drugs plot uncovered

Lee Ablitt and Christopher Thompson stashed over a million steroid tablets at multiple locations

20:06, 11 Mar 2026

Lee Ablitt (left) and Christopher Thompson(Image: North Wales Police)

A gym owner and a doorman involved in an industrial-scale steroid supply network have been ordered to repay more GBP500,000 after police uncovered their multimillion-pound drugs operation.

Lee Ablitt, 52, and Christopher Thompson, 51, were found to have been supplying huge quantities of anabolic steroids across the UK, with police seizing more than a million tablets and tens of litres of liquid drugs during the investigation.

The pair were originally sentenced in November 2024 at Mold Crown Court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class C drugs. Ablitt, of Hoy Drive in Newton-le-Willows[1], received a five-year prison sentence, while Thompson, of Scott Lane in Wigan, was jailed for 33 months.

The conspiracy began to unravel in October 2020 when Ablitt, who ran the Vulcan Gym, was stopped by police on the M56[2] motorway for driving while disqualified. When officers searched his vehicle they discovered multiple boxes containing Class C steroids.

Further inquiries led detectives to two storage units in Rhyl registered to Ablitt, along with other locations across north-west England.

Inside the units police found an enormous quantity of performance-enhancing drugs, including around 1,326,000 steroid tablets and 64,870ml of liquid steroids.

Officers also recovered a suitcase containing GBP483,968 in cash, which later tested positive for Ablitt's DNA.

Lee Ablitt, 51, of Hoy Drive, Newton-le-Willows, was jailed for five years for conspiring to supply a controlled Class C drug(Image: North Wales Police)

A police drugs expert estimated the value of the seized substances at between GBP1.59m and GBP2.1m.

Evidence taken from Ablitt's phone revealed Thompson's involvement in the enterprise. Prosecutors said the Wigan doorman had been sending lists of drugs requested by customers to Ablitt.

When police later raided Thompson's home, they found him surrounded by packages of steroids addressed to different locations across the UK.

Judge His Honour Rhys Rowlands described the scale of the operation as "industrial", warning steroids pose serious risks to people's health.

During the sentencing, he said: "You were aware of that but in order to make money the two of you carried on this business."

The case returned to court this week for a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The court was told Ablitt had financially benefited from the criminal enterprise by GBP1,701,748, while Thompson had gained GBP543,919.

However, the available assets that could be seized were lower.

Ablitt was found to have GBP512,637 in available assets, largely made up of cash seized during the investigation as well as money in bank accounts, a vehicle and a private registration plate.

Thompson had GBP20,936 available, consisting of seized cash, his interest in a property and a personalised vehicle registration.

Both men were ordered to repay those amounts.

Ablitt had also previously appeared at Liverpool Crown Court for a separate offence.

In October 2020, police spotted his grey BMW speeding near junction 20 of the M6 motorway.

The car reportedly exceeded 120mph over the Thelwall Viaduct before reaching around 150mph after joining the M62 motorway.

Ablitt initially claimed the car had been stolen but later admitted he had been driving.

He was jailed for six months for dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice, banned from driving for two years and ordered to take an extended retest.

Detective Chris Wynne, from the force's Central Priority Crime Team, said the case exposed the dangers associated with illicit steroid use.

He said: "This was a sophisticated operation conducted over a four-year period.

"The conspiracy was so financially lucrative that they had more drugs than they could physically sell fast enough.

"Some samples labelled as containing a specific steroid were found to contain different drugs, highlighting the uncertain and dangerous risks of these illicit products."

References

1. ^ Newton-le-Willows (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
2. ^ M56 (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)