The MHRA’s Criminal Enforcement Unit has shut down a large, unlawful manufacturing line for weight loss injections during a two-day raid on a warehouse on the outskirts of Northampton.
It’s the first illicit production site for weight-loss medicines found in the UK and, by volume, likely the biggest single seizure of trafficked weight-loss jabs by any law-enforcement agency worldwide.
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Officers supported by Northamptonshire Police seized tens of thousands of empty pens ready to be filled, raw chemical ingredients, sophisticated packaging and manufacturing kit, around £20,000 in cash and more than 2,000 unlicensed pens labelled as retatrutide and tirzepatide awaiting dispatch.
The street value of the finished products is estimated at over £250,000.
MHRA says the site was being used to manufacture, package and ship unlicensed – potentially deadly – weight-loss products at scale.
The operation is part of ongoing work to disrupt the booming illegal trade in obesity medicines.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting called it “a victory against criminals peddling dangerous, illegal weight-loss jabs,” urging the public to only use licensed medicines under medical supervision.
What you need to know?
Unlicensed jabs are dangerous. There are no guarantees on dose, ingredients or sterility. Contamination and mis-dosing can cause serious harm.
Retatrutide isn’t approved in the UK. Outside clinical trials, any product claiming to contain it is illegal and should be avoided.
People are urged not to buy weight-loss injections from social media, marketplaces or unofficial websites. Only use a registered pharmacy with a valid prescription from a healthcare professional.
If you suspect a side effect from any medicine, speak to your GP, pharmacist or nurse and report it to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.
For tips on spotting dodgy sellers, see the MHRA’s #FakeMeds guidance.
