The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has warned that organised crime gangs are now manufacturing their own branded weight-loss drugs, designed to look like legitimate medicines. This marks a significant escalation in the threat posed by illegal weight-loss products.
Andy Morling, head of the MHRA's criminal enforcement unit, said that in recent months, criminals have begun investing in designing their own packaging and branding, selling products that appear genuine but are entirely unlicensed and illegal in the UK. He described this as a new model of production, driven by organised crime, and noted that the level of investment in packaging and production facilities is unprecedented.
Last month, the MHRA conducted its first raid on an illegal weight-loss drug factory in Northampton, seizing tens of thousands of empty pens, raw chemical ingredients, and more than 2,000 unlicensed retatrutide and tirzepatide pens. This was the largest single seizure of trafficked weight-loss drugs ever recorded by any global law enforcement agency.
The MHRA said the new production model gives customers a false sense of security, as they believe they are buying a genuine product. The authority is analysing the seized products but declined to speculate on their contents. Morling highlighted a lack of awareness among both customers and sellers, with some beauty parlours unknowingly selling these medicines, which could lead to custodial sentences.
Products are marketed on social media and through word of mouth, often in beauty salons. Morling noted that the trend has evolved from counterfeit versions of Mounjaro and Wegovy in 2023 to raw ingredients and now to fully branded products. He emphasised that this level of sophistication indicates global organised crime involvement.
