Border Force seizes 18,300 illegal Mounjaro and other weight loss drugs

The UK Border Force has seized more than 18,300 illegal weight loss and diabetes drugs in 18 months, according to data.

Between January 2024 and June 2025, the agency seized the medications, which included semaglutide, Mounjaro, Wegovy, slimming capsules, and others.

Figures show that Heathrow Airport security staff have intercepted criminals attempting to smuggle potentially counterfeit Mounjaro pens hidden on their bodies. 

“Border Force works around the clock to intercept drug supply chains and will continue working closely with our overseas counterparts to identify and prevent the new methods criminals take to smuggling illegal drugs, including unregulated weight loss products,” a spokesperson said.

“Purchasing from illegal or unregulated sources significantly increases the risk of getting falsified medicines that don’t meet the MHRA’s (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) strict quality and safety standards.”

The data has come from new Freedom of Information data obtained by Chemist4U, an online pharmacy offering NHS services.

The manufacturers of Mounjaro announced in August that the UK price for the weight loss drug would increase by up to 170% from September 1, prompting fears that it will push more people into the black market.

Edinburgh & East

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Around 300,000 people are believed to be accessing weight loss drugs privately.

However, Chemist4U warned that unregulated weight loss products may be unlicensed, contaminated or stored improperly, which can pose serious health risks to patients. 

“Counterfeit medicines are a growing problem, and the surge in smuggled weight loss injections shows how criminals are exploiting rising demand,” Jason Murphy, a weight loss injection specialist and head of pharmacy at Chemist4U, said.

“These unlicensed products are not subject to the rigorous safety checks required in the UK, which means patients have no idea what they are really injecting.

UK & International

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“Buying weight loss injections on the black market is like playing Russian roulette with your health. Fake pens aren’t just illegal, they could be contaminated, expired or completely ineffective.”

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