Paraná prosecutors charge eight in illegal weight-loss drug scheme

The Public Ministry of Paraná (MPPR), through the Gaeco specialized crime unit, has filed charges against eight individuals as part of the second phase of ‘Operação Off Label’. The investigation targets a criminal scheme involving the illegal transport, storage, and sale of weight-loss medications containing tirzepatide, which lack proper registration with Anvisa.

The charges include criminal association, aggravated robbery with a restricted firearm, qualified receiving, and the unauthorized sale of medicinal products. Among the accused are a retired civil police officer and an active-duty officer who had been judicially suspended.

The investigation was triggered in January 2026, when approximately 100 ampoules of the medication, valued at R$ 70,000, were seized during a police inspection at a transport company in Londrina. According to the complaint, the retired officer coordinated a plan to recover the shipment, prompting the active-duty officer to use a 9mm pistol to threaten a manager and steal the package. The stolen goods were subsequently resold, with the officer's wife allegedly participating by offering the ampoules in local WhatsApp groups.