Revenue Seizes Almost 11,000 Illegal Weight Loss Products in Major Crackdown
Irish Revenue has intercepted nearly 11,000 illegal weight loss products in ongoing operations, marking a dramatic increase from 2,300 seized in 2024, as officials target the growing black market for prescription-only medicines bought online.
Revenue's Customs Service has significantly ramped up operations targeting the illicit importation of weight loss and medical products, utilising enhanced risk profiling techniques to combat what officials describe as an emerging trend in illegal medicine imports.
In a major operation conducted with assistance from the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), Revenue identified 85 shipments of illicit medical weight-loss products. These included items packaged as popular weight loss medications Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, with additional detections of products packaged as Tirzepatide.
A separate two-week operation across Dublin and the Midlands proved even more extensive, with Revenue officers making 635 detections whilst examining parcels. These contained a range of illicit medical products packaged as Semaglutide, along with substantial volumes of previously unknown Botox-type and tanning products believed to have been sourced via social media.
Revenue officers, particularly those based at national mail centres and courier hubs, report seeing a significant increase in packages containing mail order prescription-only medical products. The vast majority of intercepted packages contain weight-loss products addressed to private individuals who have purchased these products online, though larger consignments are occasionally detected at ports and airports.
The scale of the problem has grown dramatically. As of 31st May 2025, Revenue enforcement teams have seized almost 11,000 individual weight loss products during various ongoing operations. This represents a significant increase compared to the 2,300 individual products seized throughout 2024.
A Revenue spokesperson said:
"Our work in this space is supported by advanced risk analysis, profiling and the range of assets available to us. Our strategy also involves developing and sharing intelligence on a national, EU and international basis, and we continue to adopt an agile response to ensure that we deploy our resources optimally to counteract new risk areas as they develop."
The operations come as legitimate weight loss medications have become increasingly popular but remain expensive for consumers, with many seeking cheaper alternatives online.
Revenue has issued a warning to consumers about the risks of purchasing medical products online. Officials cautioned:"
Consumers are reminded that it is important to take care when purchasing medical products online, as they may not be safe or effective. Consumers should also be cautious as they may suffer a financial loss if goods they purchase are subsequently seized because they are subject to restrictions."
