The medicines were found in a “filthy warehouse” and had never been checked for their safety, quality or effectiveness
More than 12,000 counterfeit weight-loss injections were seized.
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MHRA
More than 12,000 counterfeit weight-loss injections, worth an estimated £2 million, have been seized from a Birmingham industrial unit – with officials warning the products could be harmful.
Fake retatrutide and tirzepatide pens were recovered when the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and West Midlands Police raided the site on 14 October.
Officers also seized packaging believed to be intended for around 30,000 further products.
The MHRA said the medicines were found in a “filthy warehouse” and had never been checked for their safety, quality or effectiveness.
Tim Duffield, Head of Intelligence at the MHRA’s Criminal Enforcement Unit, said: “We are tackling the organised criminal gangs whose illegal trade in unauthorised medicines puts people at risk of serious harm.
“Our officers seized around £2 million worth of fake weight-loss medicines from a filthy warehouse on an industrial estate.
“These products have not been assessed for safety, quality or effectiveness, and there is no guarantee of what they contain or whether they have been contaminated with harmful substances.”
Read More: Westlife’s Mark Feehily launches medical negligence claim over weight-loss surgery
“Our officers seized around £2 million worth of fake weight-loss medicines from a filthy warehouse on an industrial estate”.
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Supplied
Retatrutide is not authorised for use in the UK, except in legitimate clinical trials.
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Supplied
Retatrutide is not authorised for use in the UK, except in legitimate clinical trials.
The MHRA warned that anyone buying supposed weight-loss injections from unregulated sellers could be putting their health at risk.
Mr Duffield said: “We urge people to avoid buying weight-loss medicines from unregulated sources.
“Anyone considering GLP-1 treatment should speak to a healthcare professional and only obtain medicines from a registered pharmacy against a valid prescription.”
The raid is the latest in a string of operations targeting the illegal supply of weight-loss drugs.
Picture:
Supplied
The raid is the latest in a string of operations targeting the illegal supply of weight-loss drugs.
In May, two people were arrested after a country estate was raided, with around 12,000 doses recovered. In February, the MHRA seized around 2,000 unauthorised doses which were awaiting dispatch.
And in October 2025, the regulator dismantled the first illicit weight-loss medicine production facility discovered in the UK.