First UK illegal weight loss drug factory raided

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: "These unregulated products, made with no regard for safety or quality, posed a major risk to unwitting customers"

The first illicit production facility for weight loss medicine found in the UK has been dismantled.

The discovery, in Northampton on Wednesday, led to the largest single seizure of trafficked weight loss drugs ever recorded by a law enforcement agency worldwide, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said.

It said it 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 due to be sent to customers.

Andy Morling, head of MHRA's criminal enforcement unit, said: "These products are untested, unauthorised and potentially deadly."

People should be "extremely cautious" when buying medicines online and only get them from a registered pharmacy, he said.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: "This is a victory in the fight against the shameless criminals who are putting lives at risk.

"Don't line the pockets of criminals who don't care about your health."

The haul was estimated to be worth more than £250,000.

Officers from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and Northamptonshire Police carried out a two-day raid, which began on Wednesday

Alongside Northamptonshire Police, MHRA officers also found £20,000 in cash, suspected to be linked to medicines trafficking, and large amounts of sophisticated packaging and manufacturing equipment.

Mr Morling said: "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."

Weight loss pens were discovered in sophisticated packaging

In June, prescriptions for Mounjaro jabs were made available at GP surgeries in England - but under strict criteria.

The weekly injection makes you feel full so you eat less, and helps people lose body weight.

According to NHS England, those eligible will have:

• a BMI of 40 or over (or 37.5 if from a minority ethnic background)

• and four out of five of the following conditions: type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart and vascular disease, high cholesterol and obstructive sleep apnoea