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Disqualified Queensland horse trainer Ben Currie has been charged with fraud over the alleged doping of his race horses.
- Police said the alleged doping was done in a way to circumvent current testing in Queensland's racing industry
- The Racing Integrity Commissioner said the charges arose from its investigations into Currie Racing that started in April 2018
- Mr Currie has been granted bail to face the Toowoomba Magistrates Court in July
Queensland police charged the 28-year-old after a 14-month investigation.
They alleged Mr Currie sourced and gave unregulated supplements to horses over a three-year period.
"As a result, it is further alleged the offender has dishonestly gained a benefit through entitlement to prize money distributed by Racing Queensland for thoroughbred races in Queensland over that time," Queensland police said in a statement.
Police said the alleged doping was done in a way to circumvent current testing in Queensland's racing industry.
Mr Currie has been granted bail to face the Toowoomba Magistrates Court in July.
He told reporters after being released "I don't even know what the charges are to be honest".
Queensland Racing Integrity Commissioner Ross Barnett said the charges arose from its investigations into Currie Racing which started in April 2018.
"This Racing Crime Squad investigation has been carried out independently from the commission but we have provided support as requested including technical advice from our Racing Science Centre chemists," Mr Barnett said.
"During the period of these alleged charges, Mr Currie was a licensed thoroughbred trainer in Queensland.
"This investigation again demonstrates the importance of the partnership between the commission and the Racing Crime Squad and the value of them being seconded to the commission to deal with allegations of criminal conduct which arise during our investigations into the Queensland racing industry."
Mr Currie was disqualified from the racing industry for a total of seven-and-a-half-years and fined $45,000 earlier this year after he was found guilty of using prohibited substances.
Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) stewards found he had brought horses to races in Toowoomba, Kilcoy and Rockhampton between 2017 and 2019 with prohibited substances in their systems.
The QRIC found his horses had drugs including meloxicam, excess testosterone and cocaine in their systems.
Mr Currie had also been disqualified after he being found guilty of charges surrounding the intended use of "jiggers" or electric shock devices in 2015 and 2016.
Topics: horse-racing, sport, law-crime-and-justice, qld, australia, brisbane-4000, toowoomba-4350, rockhampton-4700, kilcoy-4515
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