Fake weight loss injections report
Obesity rates in the UK are rising with 64.5% of adults now classed as overweight or living with obesity. Treatments like Mounjaro and Wegovy are helping people lose weight, but access through the NHS is limited to around 35,000 patients, despite around 500,000 people using these injections privately.
With demand high and prices rising, more people are turning to online sources, which has led to a surge in fake and unregulated medication being smuggled into the UK. Border Force has confirmed over 18,300 illegal weight loss or diabetes treatment products were seized between February 2024 and May 2025.
In this guide, we’re breaking down what Border Force told us, what it means if you’re trying to access treatment, and how we’re working to make safe, genuine medication easier to get, without ever putting your health at risk.
Three key takeaways:
- Between February 2024 and May 2025, more than 18,300 illegal or unapproved weight loss and diabetes products were seized at the border before they could reach the public.
- The most frequently seized substances were Semaglutide and Tirzepatide, found in a mix of tablets, vials and injectable pens labelled as Mounjaro or Wegovy.
- Slimming coffee and herbal capsules containing cactus extract were among the products seized, indicating a trend of unlicensed “natural” weight loss products
The report:
Border Force data shows 18,316 unregulated or illegal products linked to weight loss or diabetes treatment were seized between February 2024 and May 2025. These included:
- Fake or unlicensed Mounjaro and Wegovy pens
- Semaglutide (the active ingredient in Wegovy) and Tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Mounjaro) in tablet, vial and pen form
- Herbal ‘slimming coffee’ and cactus extract pills
- Banned or withdrawn drugs like Sibutramine
- Steroids such as Winstrol and Nebido
Border Force discoveries included:
- Tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Mounjaro) pens disguised and smuggled on the bodies of travellers at Heathrow
- Slimming coffee labelled as “natural weight loss”, containing cactus extract
- Unlabelled tablets and injectable pens with no safety markings or expiry data
- Steroids and hormone drugs shipped alongside fake weight loss treatments
What does this mean?
This data shows that the black market for weight loss treatments is already well established in the UK and that fake and unregulated products aren’t just limited to suspicious websites. They are being smuggled through airports, disguised in everyday packaging and even mixed in with beauty and fitness products.
1. Demand for weight loss treatment is rising faster than safe supply
More people want access to injections like Mounjaro and Wegovy than the NHS can provide right now. When regulated routes feel slow, expensive or out of reach, people may be more willing to take risks.
2. Illegal sellers are targeting people who feel desperate for results
Criminals know there is a high demand and are using phrases like “natural”, “quick results” or “NHS alternative” to make their products seem trustworthy. In reality, these items have no safety checks and no quality control.
3. Fake products are becoming harder to spot
Some of the seized items looked like genuine weight loss pens, with similar packaging and names. Others had no labels, no instructions and no expiry dates, making it impossible for users to know what they are injecting.
Seizures of unregulated products by Border Force (2024-2025)
| Month and Year | Detained or seized | Items seized |
| February 2024 | 280 | Slimming capsules |
| March 2024 | 241 | Testosterone, Oxandrolone and Semaglutide |
| April 2024 | 9,100 | Ivermectin, Semaglutide, slimming capsules |
| May 2024 | 418 | Saxenda, Liraglutide, Semaglutide, slimming coffee |
| June 2024 | 322 | Weight loss pens, vitamins and antibiotics |
| July 2024 | 820 | Semaglutide, slimming capsules |
| August 2024 | 4,375 | Semaglutide, Metronidazole |
| September 2024 | 32 | Mounjaro, Slimming supplements |
| December 2024 | 256 | Mounjaro, Semaglutide |
| January 2025 | 250 | Weight loss injections, steroids |
| February 2025 | 26 | Mounjaro, Wegovy, Tirzepatide |
| March 2025 | 306 | Tirzepatide, Semaglutide, Anastrozole, Tadalafil |
| April 2025 | 116 | Mounjaro, Semaglutide, weight loss injections |
| May 2025 | 1,774 | Semaglutide, Nebido, steroids |
| Total: | 18,316 [4] | |
When were the highest seizures recorded?
Border Force data shows several clear spikes in illegal product seizures, with April 2024, August 2024 and May 2025 standing out as the most significant months.
April 2024: the biggest month for seizures
| Item seized | Quantity |
| Slimming pills containing Sibutramine | 8,640 |
| Semaglutide tablets and Ivermectin tablets | 440 |
| Semaglutide injection pens | 20 |
April 2024 saw the largest number of illegal weight loss products seized. Most of these were Sibutramine-based slimming pills, a drug that was banned in the UK due to its risk of heart complications.
August 2024: rise in “natural” slimming products
| Item seized | Quantity |
| Metronidazole and Semaglutide tablets | 4,375 |
| Slimming coffee containing cactus extract | 1,690 grams |
August 2024 recorded the second-highest number of seizures, with a clear increase in unregulated herbal products like slimming coffee. These products are often marketed as natural but have not been checked or approved for safety.
May 2025: steroids and weight loss injections shipped together
| Item seized | Quantity | |
| Semaglutide pens | 20 | |
| Nebido vials | 20 | |
| Nibal tablets | 500 | |
| Winstrol tablets | 250 | |
| Halothostin tablets | 400 | |
| Triplo X vials | 500 | |
In May 2025, more unregulated products were seized than in the previous seven months combined. While Semaglutide (Wegovy) pens were included, a large portion of the seizure was made up of anabolic steroids and hormone treatments, suggesting that some people are seeking more than just weight loss.
Seized items and their legal status in the UK
| Item seized | UK licensing status |
| Sibutramine | Withdrawn in 2010 due to cardiovascular side effects. Illegal to sell or import. |
| Slimming coffee | Not regulated or assessed by MHRA or NICE. Safety unverified. |
| Cactus extract | Not endorsed by MHRA or NICE. Safety unclear. |
| Nibal | Class C controlled drug. Illegal to import or supply without a prescription. |
| Winstrol | Banned for non-medical use. Controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act. |
| Halotestin | Class C controlled drug. No current UK marketing authorisation. |
Why is this happening?
There are two main reasons why unregulated and fake weight loss products are entering the UK in such high numbers.
1. Limited access through the NHS
Although medications like Mounjaro and Wegovy are approved for use, only a small number of patients currently receive them through the NHS. This is because eligibility is strict, waiting lists are long and local areas have different rules on who qualifies. As a result, many people feel they have no option but to look online, where treatments appear easier and faster to get.
2. Rising private costs driving people to cheaper sources
Eli Lilly announced a price increase of up to 170% for Mounjaro in the UK that came into effect in September 2025. This made private prescriptions more expensive. When medication becomes unaffordable, some people start searching for cheaper alternatives from unofficial websites, beauty outlets or sellers on social media. Unfortunately, these sources often supply unregulated or fake products that can put health at serious risk.
Border Force response:
"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.
We are determined to bring revolutionary modern treatments to everyone who needs them - not just those who can afford to pay – as we tackle obesity.
Purchasing from illegal or unregulated sources significantly increases the risk of getting falsified medicines that don't meet the MHRA’s strict quality and safety standards."
Jason Murphy, Head of Pharmacy, said:
“Unregulated medicines are a growing problem, and the surge in smuggled weight loss injections shows how criminals are exploiting rising demand. 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. 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.”
How to stay safe when buying weight loss treatments online
1. Check for the GPhC pharmacy logo
Every approved online pharmacy in the UK must show this logo and a registration number. You can check this number on their official register.
2. Only use medication that has been prescribed
A licensed prescriber must check your medical history before treatment. If you can buy medication without a consultation, it’s likely to be unsafe or unregulated.
3. Make sure the pen matches your prescription
The name and dose printed on the pen must match what your healthcare provider prescribed.
4. Report anything suspicious
If you think your product is fake, do not use it. Report it to the MHRA.”
Sources:
- GOV.UK | Obesity profile: short statistical commentary, May 2025
- The Telegraph | Half a million people buying weight-loss jabs online because of ‘slow’ NHS rollout
- GOV.UK | UK medicines regulator warns against buying weight loss medicines without a prescription this New Year
- Border Force provided seizure data in mixed formats (items, weight, or volume); the dataset was standardised to count individual units, and entries reported only by weight or volume, where a reasonable estimate (e.g. the number of pens in a box) could not be made, were excluded from the final tally. The full dataset is available here.
- GOV.UK | Sibutramine: suspension of EU licences recommended
- The Independent | Warning over herbal slimming aids
- GOV.UK | Consideration of the Anabolic Steroids
- Advertising Standards Agency | Skinny Coffee Club Ltd
Methodology:
Chemist4U sought to uncover the scale of the smuggling of illegal or unregulated weight loss and diabetes medications into the UK.
In order to gather their data for the purposes of this study, Chemist4U sent a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Border Force.
The following questions were sent:
- The number of individual seizures involving unregulated or illegal GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs from January 2024 to the present.
- The total quantity (e.g., number of doses/units/vials/pens) seized from January 2024 to present.
- The data only includes items which have been recorded as being detained or seized by Border Force on their main reporting system.
- Border Force searched for the specific names mentioned in the request, such as Semaglutide (e.g., Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus), Liraglutide (e.g., Saxenda, Victoza, Tirzepatide (e.g., Mounjaro) as well as weight loss and slimming.
- Their figures have been taken from a live operational database. As such, numbers may change as information on that system is updated.
- Border Force provided seizure data in mixed formats (items, weight, or volume); the dataset was standardised to count individual units, and entries reported only by weight or volume, where a reasonable estimate (e.g. the number of pens in a box) could not be made, were excluded from the final tally.
- The study is based solely on the information provided by Border Force. Chemist4U assumes no responsibility for any inaccuracies resulting from erroneous data provided.
- The data provided is for the period of 1st January 2024 to 30th June 2025. All data is correct as of August 2025. The full dataset is available here.
