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Thousands of 'potentially deadly' dodgy weight loss jabs have been seized in what officers believe to be the world's biggest raid of its kind. A Manchester Evening News investigation in August revealed social media content creators were pushing fake versions of experimental weight loss drug retatrutide to young people struggling with their body image. The real version of the drug is being developed by pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and is not to be ready for at least another year. Now officers have dismantled an illicit facility making and distributing unlicensed weight loss jabs. Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE They uncovered tens of thousands of empty weight loss pens ready to be filled, along with raw chemical ingredients. More than 2,000 pens - claiming to be retatrutide and tirzepatide - were also found waiting to be dispatched to customers at the facility on an industrial state in the outskirts of Northampton, in the East Midlands. The MHRA says the products seized were 'potentially deadly' for customers. The street value of the finished weight loss products alone is estimated to be more than a quarter of a million pounds, according to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Along with large amounts of sophisticated packaging and manufacturing equipment, officers also seized around £20,000 in cash, suspected to be linked to medicines trafficking. Images shared by the MHRA show packaging which matches the items seen by the Manchester Evening News during its investigation earlier this year. Health secretary Wes Streeting said: "This is a victory in the fight against the shameless criminals who are putting lives at risk by peddling dangerous and illegal weight loss jabs to make a quick buck. "These unregulated products, made with no regard for safety or quality, posed a major risk to unwitting customers. "My message is clear: don't buy weight loss medications from unregulated sources. Talk to your GP, seek NHS advice, and don't line the pockets of criminals who don't care about your health. "Safe, appropriate, licensed obesity drugs can greatly benefit those in need if taken under medical supervision, and I urge people to only purchase and use them with the approval and oversight of medics and pharmacists.” The two-day search was carried out by MHRA's Criminal Enforcement Unit alongside officers from Northamptonshire Police, at the first illicit production facility for weight loss medicine discovered in the UK. It is believed to be the largest single seizure of trafficked weight loss medicines ever recorded by a law enforcement agency worldwide. Andy Morling, head of the MHRA’s Criminal Enforcement Unit, added: "This seizure shows the lengths these criminals will go to for profit. People should be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. "Prescription medicines should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy against a prescription issued by a healthcare professional. Taking prescription medicines sourced in any other way carries serious risks to your health - there are no guarantees about what they contain, and some may even be contaminated with toxic substances. "Taking out the first illicit weight loss medicine manufacturing facility found in the UK is a landmark result for the MHRA and a major blow to the illegal trade. These products are untested, unauthorised, and potentially deadly. "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." Mr Morling added: “This is an illicit global market that endangers patients, puts big money in the pockets of organised criminals, and undermines legitimate healthcare. "This operation demonstrates, once again, that my officers will stop at nothing to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the organised criminal networks who put profit before safety.” The MHRA #FakeMeds website offers helpful guidance and advice for staying safe when buying medicines online. Anyone who suspects they are having a side effect from a medicine are encouraged to talk to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse and report it directly to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme .
