UK's biggest black market weight-loss jab factory uncovered in Northamptonshire stately home and wedding venue
The UK's "largest ever" seizure of illegal weight-loss injections has been uncovered at a £3 million Georgian period country house on Northamptonshire.
Moulton Grange, a Grade II-listed stately home in rural Northamptonshire, was raided on May 28 and 12,000 doses of unlicensed weight loss medicines were seized.
The sprawling estate is a popular venue for weddings and corporate events - but has now been revealed as being a black market weight-loss jab factory.
Officers from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) searched the Georgian-era country house as part of an ongoing investigation into unlicensed medicines.
The huge 12-bedroom home is believed to have been used as a large-scale facility to manufacture, assemble, and distribute illegal weight loss medicines like retatrutide and tirzepatide, as well as peptide products.
Two men, both 29, were arrested on suspicion of offences under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 following what MHRA called the biggest raid of its kind.
Tirzepatide is sold as Mounjaro by pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, but the MHRA said the products found were not genuine products from the firm.
Retatrutide is currently undergoing clinical trials in the United States and is not approved in the UK.
The MHRA has not confirmed Moulton Grange as the location of the raid but it was revealed as part of a BBC investigation.
Speaking at the time of the raid, Andy Morling, head of the MHRA’s criminal enforcement unit, said: "Last night’s hugely successful operation demonstrates, once again, the MHRA’s unwavering commitment to ensuring there is no hiding place for those who cynically put the public’s health at risk for profit.
"Medicines regulation isn’t discretionary - it exists to protect people.
"That’s why we continue to target the traffickers who seek to bypass that protection – taking down the infrastructure that supports them and creating a hostile environment for their exploitative and harmful trade.
"In addition to disrupting an organised criminal group, I’m confident that dismantling this illicit production facility will have prevented significant public harm.
"I’m enormously grateful to Northamptonshire Police for their support in this operation."
The stately home is the second factory to be raided by the MHRA in recent months after a warehouse in Northampton was uncovered in October.
The warehouse was the first illicit production facility for weight loss medicine discovered in the UK and 2,000 unlicensed retatrutide and tirzepatide pens were uncovered.
The products seized from Moulton Grange were branded "Alluvi", matching labels found in the earlier warehouse raid.
Mr Morling added: “This seizure shows the lengths these criminals will go to for profit.
"People should be extremely cautious when buying medicines online.
"Prescription medicines should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy against a prescription issued by a healthcare professional.
"Taking prescription medicines sourced in any other way carries serious risks to your health – there are no guarantees about what they contain, and some may even be contaminated with toxic substances."
Labour MP Wes Streeting, who was then Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said: “This is a victory in the fight against the shameless criminals who are putting lives at risk by peddling dangerous and illegal weight loss jabs to make a quick buck.
“These unregulated products, made with no regard for safety or quality, posed a major risk to unwitting customers.
“My message is clear: don’t buy weight loss medications from unregulated sources.
"Talk to your GP, seek NHS advice, and don’t line the pockets of criminals who don’t care about your health.
"Safe, appropriate, licensed obesity drugs can greatly benefit those in need if taken under medical supervision, and I urge people to only purchase and use them with the approval and oversight of medics and pharmacists.”
Moulton Grange was last sold in 2017 for £2.2 million and boasts eight bathrooms, multiple reception rooms, a billiards room and a separate staff apartment.
The stately home sits on 28 acres of land and includes lakes and sheep-grazed pastures. Its main house and an adjoining cottage are available for event hire and short-term lets.