Report: MLB thinks 'drug pipeline' might start in South Florida

Baseball officials have turned over information about Alex Rodriguez to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, according to a report. (Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images)

Major League Baseball is zeroing in on South Florida as a performance-enhancing drug "pipeline," The Sun-Sentinel's Amy Shipley reported Sunday. Shipley reported that baseball officials have handed off information to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration that shows their fear of the South Florida "pipeline" after a recent series of failed drug tests.

From Shipley's report:

A host of players have recently tested positive for the steroid testosterone or other drugs associated with steroid use, suggesting to baseball officials that an organized distribution ring could be contributing to the positives. As league officials reviewed the recent cases, one source told the Sun Sentinel, many lines pointed to South Florida, where many players reside in the off-season, train in the spring or travel for treatment when they are injured.

The region is known for its so-called wellness or anti-aging clinics, which are largely unregulated by the state of Florida and commonly offer prescriptions for testosterone and human growth hormone — two popular performance-enhancing drugs — as components of anti-aging treatment.