Fake Mounjaro factory shut down in the UK
- AJ Hill Aesthetics
- Oct 25
- 2 min read
Officers from the Criminal Enforcement Unit (CEU) of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have dismantled a major illicit manufacturing facility, making and distributing unlicensed weight-loss jabs such as Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) and the yet-to-be-released Retatrutide, during a raid on a warehouse in Northampton.
The discovery, in Northampton, led to the largest single seizure of trafficked weight loss drugs ever recorded by a law enforcement agency worldwide, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said.
During the search, MHRA officers, supported by Northamptonshire Police, seized tens of thousands of empty weight loss pens ready to be filled, raw chemical ingredients, and more than 2,000 unlicensed retatrutide and tirzepatide pens awaiting dispatch to customers.
Andy Morling, head of MHRA's criminal enforcement unit, said: "These products are untested, unauthorised and potentially deadly."
The search operation, lasting two days, is the latest in the MHRA’s ongoing work to tackle the illegal trade in weight loss medicines.
The site, on an industrial estate on the outskirts of Northampton, is believed to have been used for the large-scale manufacture, packaging, and distribution of unlicensed — and potentially deadly — weight loss products to customers.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: "This is a victory in the fight against the shameless criminals who are putting lives at risk.
"Don't line the pockets of criminals who don't care about your health."
The haul was estimated to be worth more than £250,000.
Alongside Northamptonshire Police, MHRA officers also found £20,000 in cash, suspected to be linked to medicines trafficking, and large amounts of sophisticated packaging and manufacturing equipment.
Mr Morling said "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.
"This is an illicit global market that endangers patients, puts big money in the pockets of organised criminals, and undermines legitimate healthcare."
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