The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has uncovered the UK’s first illegal manufacturing site for weight loss medicines following a raid in Northampton.
Officers from the agency’s Criminal Enforcement Unit, supported by Northamptonshire Police, seized thousands of unlicensed injection pens and raw materials used to make drugs containing retatrutide and tirzepatide. Tens of thousands of empty pens and packaging were also recovered, alongside around £20,000 in cash.
The raid, which took place on an industrial estate, marked the largest single seizure of illicit weight loss medicines by any enforcement body worldwide. The value of the finished products was estimated at more than £250,000.
The facility was set up for large-scale production, packaging, and distribution of unlicensed medicines designed to mimic legitimate weight loss treatments. These products were intended for sale to UK and overseas buyers through unregulated online channels.
The two-day operation is part of the MHRA’s wider crackdown on illegal medicines. Officials said the site’s closure prevented tens of thousands of potentially unsafe products from entering the market and disrupting legitimate pharmaceutical supply chains.
Businesses operating in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors are being reminded to ensure full compliance with licensing and safety regulations and to report any suspected illegal activity through MHRA’s reporting channels.
