The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and West Midlands Police have seized fake weight loss medicines worth approximately £2 million during a joint raid at an industrial unit in Birmingham on Wednesday (14) night.
The raiding team seized over 12,000 fake retatrutide and tirzepatide pens, along with packaging for around 30,000 more products.
Tim Duffield, Head Intelligence at the MHRA’s Criminal Enforcement Unit said the officers seized fake weight loss medicines from a 'filthy' warehouse.
"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," he added.
Retatrutide has not been authorised for use in the UK, and they are being supplied illegally without any safeguards.
Most weight loss jabs require a full 'cold chain' during transit.
Duffield urged the 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," he said.
The latest raid against fake weight loss medicines is the third one by MHRA this year.
In May 2026, two people were arrested following a raid on a country estate in Northamptonshire, believed to have been used to manufacture, assemble and distribute unlicensed weight-loss medicines. Around 12,000 doses were recovered, together with packaging materials and suspected pharmaceutical substances.
In February 2026, around 2,000 doses of unauthorised weight-loss medicines awaiting dispatch were seized from two premises in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, alongside manufacturing equipment, suspected pharmaceutical ingredients, packaging and commercial vehicles.
