First UK illegal weight loss drug factory found in Northampton
Alex Popenorthamptonshire
MHRAThe first illegal weight loss drug production facility in the UK has been dismantled.
The discovery in Northampton on Wednesday led to the largest seizure of a smuggled weight loss drug ever recorded by a law enforcement agency worldwide, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said.
It was stated that tens of thousands of empty slimming pens, raw chemicals and more than 2,000 unlicensed Retatrutide and Tirzepatide pens were seized to be sent to customers.
Andy Morling, head of the MHRA’s corrections unit, said: “These products are untested, unauthorized and potentially lethal.”
He said people should be “extremely careful” when buying medicines online and only buy them from registered pharmacies.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “This is a victory in the fight against shameless criminals who put lives at risk.
“Do not line the pockets of criminals who do not care about your health.”
The value of the move is estimated at more than £250,000.
MHRAAlongside Northamptonshire Police, MHRA officers also found £20,000 in cash and large quantities of sophisticated packaging and manufacturing equipment suspected to be linked to drug trafficking.
Mr Morling said: “By dismantling this organized crime network and stopping tens of thousands of potentially lethal products from entering circulation, we have prevented a serious risk to public health.
“This is an illicit global market that endangers patients, puts big money into the pockets of organized criminals, and undermines legitimate healthcare.”
MHRAPrescriptions for Mounjaro vaccines in June Available in GP surgeries In the UK – but under strict criteria.
Weekly injections make you feel full so you eat less and help people lose body weight.
According to NHS England, those eligible will have the following:
- BMI of 40 or more (or 37.5 if from a minority ethnicity)
- and four out of five of the following conditions: type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, and obstructive sleep apnea.
