On Thursday, March 24, Belgian police searched the hotel of the Acqua & Sapone team in Erpe-Mere, where the Italian team was staying prior to this weekend's races, E3 Prijs Vlaanderen and Brabantse Pijl. They allegedly found doping substances in the rooms of three of the team's members, according to Belgian newspaper Gazet van Antwerpen.
It's reported that a local police agent saw one of the riders throw away a bag, as well as other garbage into a garbage bin. The agent recovered the bag, which contained different kinds of medical material, used syringes and empty medical packages. The court in Dendermonde was informed right away, and a search of the team's hotel rooms was performed the same evening. Members of a special branch of Belgian police that deal with illegal hormones were present, as well as federal agents. It is not yet known what products were found.
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