LONDON, Jan. 26 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), working with law enforcement partners, seizedalmost 20million doses of illegally traded medicines,with apotentialstreet value ofnearly £45million,during 2025.
As part ofacrackdown on criminal profits, the MHRA's financial investigatorsalsodenied criminals access to more than £2.1 million in assets linked to the illegal trade in medicines.
Last year's seizures includedalmost tenmillion doses of sedatives and sleeping pills, over four million doses ofpowerfulpainkillers, and more than four million doses of erectile dysfunction treatments.The MHRA's Criminal Enforcement Unit (CEU)also seized more than 5,000illegally tradedGLP-1products, commonly marketed as 'weight loss' medicines.The unit's workincludeddismantling a major illicit manufacturing facility,makingand distributing unlicensed weight-loss jabs, during a raid on a warehouse in Northampton in October.
The CEUalsoworked with internet service providers todisrupt more than 1,500 websites and social media accounts illegally selling medical products to the publicand removedmore than 1,200social media posts during the year.
The MHRA has been working closely with online industry partnersto block theillegalsaleand supplyof medicines in the UK. In 2025,acutting-edgeAI algorithmdeveloped with eBay,successfullyidentifiedand blocked more than two million violationsof the company's policies onprescription only and non-compliant over the counter (OTC) medicines,before theproductscould be offered for sale to the public.
Andy Morling, MHRA Deputy Director,Enforcement, said:
This year, working closely with our law enforcement partners,we haveremovedmore illegally tradedmedicinesfrom circulationthan ever before -nearly 20million dosesin total, up from 17 million in 2024.Each and everyone of thoseproductswaspotentially dangeroustothe public."
Criminals see this trade as easy money, butourrelentless efforts aremaking it increasingly difficult for them tooperate.Our focuslast year, asalways,has been firmly on stopping these dangerous products reachingthe publicin the first place."
Iwould urge everyone to think very carefully before buyingpowerfulmedicines online. Ifsomethinglooks orfeels wrong, itprobably is.Productssold illegally onlinemaycontainharmful substances ortheincorrectdosage, and either of thesecould seriously damage your health. Always use a registered pharmacy - your safety is not worth the risk.
The dangers ofunauthorisedmedicines
If a medicine isunauthorised, it will not have been assessed by the MHRA for its safety, effectiveness or the qualityand hygieneof its manufacturing and distribution processes. Anyone buying such a product cannot be sure what itcontainsor whether it will cause them harm.
Most of the seized medicines are notauthorisedfor sale in the UK, so cancontaintoo much or too little of the declared active ingredient and may alsocontainotherharmfulingredients.
Notes to editors
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The20million doses seized include9.9million doses of sedatives, 4.4 million doses of erectile dysfunction medicines, 4.1million doses of painkillers, 427,300 doses of nervous system agents, and 5,680GLP-1 pens.
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Anyone who suspects they are having a side effect from a medicine are encouraged to talk to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse and report it directly to the MHRAYellow Card scheme.
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The MHRA works continuously with national and international partners to prevent fake medicines from entering the UK. Its #FakeMeds campaign provides quick and easy tools to help thegeneral publicavoid fake and substandard medical products.
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The MHRA's Accredited Financial Investigators are authorised by the National Crime Agency under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA). They support investigations by tracing, freezing, and confiscating assets linked to crime, including money laundering and the illegal supply of medicines.
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The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)is responsible forregulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.
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The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
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For mediaenquiries, please contact thenewscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on020 3080 7651.
Images are availableon requestfrom our News Centre of medicines seized as part of our investigation at commercial premises in Northampton, known as Operation Dunlin.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
