25 October 2025 , 12:52
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A factory producing counterfeit weight loss injections has been raided and dismantled, in what officials have called the largest single seizure ever recorded.
Officers from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) along with Northamptonshire Police raided a warehouse in Northampton.
They seized 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.
The street value of the finished weight loss products alone is estimated to be more than £250,000, said officers.
The site, located on an industrial estate on the outskirts of Northampton, is believed to have been used for the large-scale production and distribution of unlicensed and potentially deadly weight loss products.
The MHRA described it as the "first illicit production facility for weight loss medicine discovered in the UK".
Officials stated it was believed to be the "largest single seizure of trafficked weight loss medicines ever recorded by a law enforcement agency worldwide".
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “This is a victory in the fight against the shameless criminals who are putting lives at risk by selling dangerous and illegal weight loss injections to make quick money.
“These unregulated products, made without regard for safety or quality, posed a major risk to unsuspecting customers.
“My message is clear: don’t buy weight loss medications from unregulated sources. Talk to your GP, seek NHS advice, and don’t support criminals who don’t care about your health."
Andy Morling, from the MHRA, said: "These products are untested, unauthorized, and potentially deadly.
"By dismantling this organized criminal network and preventing tens of thousands of potentially fatal products from entering the market, we’ve averted a serious risk to public health."
Deputy Editor