£2m of fake weight-loss pens seized from Nechells warehouse

About £2m worth of fake weight-loss injections have been seized from a warehouse on an industrial estate in Nechells.

The Nechells neighbourhood police team and the criminal enforcement unit of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) raided the unit on Wednesday. They found more than 12,000 fake retatrutide and tirzepatide pens, along with packaging for about 30,000 more.

No arrests have been made, and the operation is believed to be linked to organised crime.

"No guarantee of what they contain"

Tim Duffield, head of intelligence at the MHRA's criminal enforcement unit, said: "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."

"Retatrutide has not been authorised for use in the UK. Products being sold as retatrutide outside legitimate clinical trials are being supplied illegally and could pose serious risks to public health."

About the drugs

Tirzepatide, sold under the brand name Mounjaro, is licensed in the UK and can be prescribed for weight loss. Retatrutide is a newer drug that is still being tested in clinical trials and is not licensed here. Both belong to a family of medicines that mimic hormones which control appetite and blood sugar.

Demand for weight-loss jabs has soared, and with it the illegal market. Fake pens are often sold online and through social media at prices well below those charged by pharmacies.

Part of a wider crackdown

The MHRA said the Birmingham raid followed others around the country. In May two people were arrested in Northampton after a raid on a country estate believed to be used to make and distribute unlicensed weight-loss medicines, where about 12,000 doses were found. In February about 2,000 doses were seized at a farm near Sleaford and a house in Grantham.

A year ago the regulator found what it described as the UK's first illegal production facility for weight-loss medicines, also on an industrial estate near Northampton.

How to stay safe

"We urge people to avoid buying weight-loss medicines from unregulated sources," Mr Duffield said. "Anyone considering GLP-1 treatment should speak to a healthcare professional and only obtain medicines from a registered pharmacy against a valid prescription."

The MHRA's Fake Meds website has advice on buying medicines safely online. Legitimate online pharmacies must be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council, and their registration can be checked on its website.

Anyone who thinks they have had a side effect from a medicine, including one bought online, should speak to a doctor, pharmacist or nurse, and can report it through the MHRA's Yellow Card scheme.