Around £250,000 worth of fake weight-loss jabs have been seized in what is thought to be the biggest crackdown on the illicit medicines worldwide.
Officers uncovered tens of thousands of empty weight-loss pens ready to be filled, raw chemical ingredients, and more than 2,000 unlicensed retatrutide and tirzepatide pens in a raid on a warehouse in Northampton.
The medicines regulator said the raid is the first illicit production facility for weight-loss medicine discovered in the UK, and is believed to be the largest single seizure of trafficked weight-loss medicines ever recorded by a law enforcement agency.
The finished products of the materials taken by officers have a street value of around £250,000, according to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Officers also recovered large amounts of sophisticated packaging and manufacturing equipment, and £20,000 in cash suspected to be linked to medicines trafficking.
The Independent previously reported on illicit retatrutide, a weight-loss jab still in development, being sold via social media. The drug is pitched as a “Triple G” weight-loss drug because of its unique ability to mimic the actions of three different hormones – GLP-1, glucagon and GIP – which are released after eating and work to reduce appetite, help regulate blood sugar levels and support fat loss.
But health bosses warned that such compounds are illegal and could expose users to “dangerous ingredients that can have serious health consequences”.
MHRA head of criminal enforcement Andy Morling said taking out the facility was a “landmark result”, but warned people to be “extremely cautious” when buying medicines online.
He added: “Prescription medicines should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy against a prescription issued by a healthcare professional. Taking prescription medicines sourced in any other way carries serious risks to your health – there are no guarantees about what they contain, and some may even be contaminated with toxic substances.
“Taking out the first illicit weight-loss medicine manufacturing facility found in the UK is a landmark result for the MHRA and a major blow to the illegal trade. These products are untested, unauthorised, and potentially deadly. By taking this organised criminal network out of operation and stopping tens of thousands of potentially fatal products from entering circulation, we’ve prevented a serious risk to public health.
“This is an illicit global market that endangers patients, puts big money in the pockets of organised criminals, and undermines legitimate healthcare. This operation demonstrates, once again, that my officers will stop at nothing to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the organised criminal networks who put profit before safety.”
Health secretary Wes Streeting said the seizure was a “victory” in the fight against criminals “peddling dangerous and illegal weight-loss jabs to make a quick buck”.
"These unregulated products, made with no regard for safety or quality, posed a major risk to unwitting customers,” he added.
"My message is clear: don't buy weight-loss medications from unregulated sources. Talk to your GP, seek NHS advice, and don't line the pockets of criminals who don't care about your health. Safe, appropriate, licensed obesity drugs can greatly benefit those in need if taken under medical supervision, and I urge people to only purchase and use them with the approval and oversight of medics and pharmacists.”
