Brazil seizes thousands of illegal weight‑loss drug ampoules at airport and border

Police in Guanambi, Bahia, confiscated hundreds of unregistered medicines, hormones, anabolic substances and related equipment after stopping a suspect delivering a package. The seizure included dozens of weight‑loss ampoules and a range of manipulation tools.

Federal Police arrested a 20‑year‑old man at Rio de Janeiro's Galeão International Airport who was carrying 40 ampoules of tirzepatida‑based weight‑loss pens (Mounjaro) without the required import documentation. He faces charges of contraband and illegal import of unregistered medication.

Customs agents at the Friendship Bridge (Ponte da Amizade) in Foz do Iguaçu intercepted two smuggling attempts on the same day. A Paraguayan‑registered motorcycle concealed 52 boxes of weight‑loss medicines, and a Paraguayan van was found with 5,850 ampoules hidden in the engine compartment, valued at about R$735 000. The total of seized ampoules in 2026 now exceeds 115,000, a rise of more than 1,400 % from the previous year.

Authorities say the products lack approval from Brazil's health regulator ANVISA and were stored at improper temperatures, posing serious health risks. Some suspects were detained, while others were released after verification of personal items.