Emily Arnold was arrested after authorities raided her home and found hundreds of vials of counterfeit semaglutide and tirzepatide, the active ingredients in popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.
The first tip came into West Tennessee law enforcement about two months ago: A resident in the area was selling cheap versions of Ozempic and other weight loss drugs . According to officials with the West Tennessee Drug Task Force, the tipster believed the products couldn't be legitimate due to their unusually low prices: A 10-milligram vial of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy , sold for about $100, for example, and a 15 mg vial costs $140.
The brand-name versions, from drugmaker Novo Nordisk, sell for around $1,000 for a month’s supply. Last week, officials said they raided Emily Arnold’s home in Medina, Tennessee, and found more than 300 vials of counterfeit versions of semaglutide, tirzepatide — the ingredient in the weight loss drug Zepbound and the diabetes drug Mounjaro — along with other drugs used for weight loss. Syringes, alcohol preps, mailers and other materials were also confiscated. Officials learned that she allegedly had also been supplying the drugs to two med spa clinics in the state. Some people who used the counterfeit drugs reported rashes and other pain from the injections, officials said. “We stumbled into one room that was set up, sort of like a lab,” said Johnie Carter, the director of the West Tennessee Drug Task Force. “We even found three packages that were already packaged up and ready to go.” “It was very shocking,” he added. Officials said Arnold, 41, has been charged with four felonies and a misdemeanor, including impersonating a licensed professional. She will plead not guilty, her attorney said. As highly effective but pricey weight loss drugs gain popularity in the U.S., experts and public health officials warn that low-cost counterfeit versions are becoming increasingly common. Counterfeit versions of Wegovy or Zepbound are different from compounded weight loss drugs. Compounding is a legitimate practice that’s monitored by the Food and Drug Administratio
Counterfeit Drugs Weight Loss Drugs Ozempic Wegovy Mounjaro Drug Trafficking Tennessee
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