July 21, 2026
Reading time • 5 min
Federal Revenue Service Seizes Empty Packages of Weight-Loss Pens and Investigates Counterfeiting Scheme
The shipment, found at a shipping company in Foz do Iguaçu, was reportedly headed to São Paulo. The Federal Revenue Service warns that the products could be used to counterfeit medications and put consumers health at risk
An inspection by the Federal Revenue Service at a transport company in Foz do Iguaçu uncovered a possible counterfeiting scheme involving weight-loss medications. During the operation, officials seized several packages of products identified as tirzepatide and retratutide, substances associated with so-called “weight-loss pens.”
The packaging indicated that the products were manufactured in Switzerland. Tirzepatide is used as the active ingredient in medications for treating type 2 diabetes and obesity. Retratutide, on the other hand, is still in the clinical trial phase and has not been approved for sale in any country.
Carolina Cristine Morimoto da Silva, a tax auditor for the Federal Revenue Service, explained that the seizure was the result of intelligence work carried out by the agency.
“It was an investigation by our intelligence unit that led us to this location, where goods were being shipped with tax documentation that was likely fraudulent. The teams went to the shipping company to inspect the packages and found a large quantity of medications and other shipments with suspicious contents, which were brought to the Federal Revenue Service for investigation,” she stated.
Upon opening the boxes, the agents found that they did not contain the medications. Instead of the substances, there were only the frames of the injection pens and accessories, without the vials that were supposed to contain the active ingredient.
According to the Federal Revenue Service, the two packages with irregularities were bound for the state of São Paulo.
“The two shipments we found containing illegal items were headed to São Paulo,” the auditor reported.
Suspected Counterfeiting
The main line of investigation is that the empty packaging was intended to be used to fill the pens with substances of unknown origin, allowing the products to be sold as genuine medications.
“There is strong suspicion that this was intended for counterfeiting at the destination. They would ship the empty packaging and syringes, and once they arrived there, an ampoule containing some substance—the nature of which we don’t know—would be inserted. Then, this product would be sold for people to use as if it were a genuine medication,” explained Carolina.
The auditor warns that the scheme poses a serious risk to public health, since there is no control over the contents that can be placed in the packaging.
“They could put some substance in there that’s harmful to the person using it. It’s very dangerous because these are injectable medications. We’ve already had cases where counterfeit medications contained even contaminated water. Imagine someone injecting contaminated water into their own body, believing they’re using a medication,” she warned.
Hidden Cell Phones
During the same operation, officials also located a package containing several cell phones hidden inside a speaker, in an attempt to evade inspection.
The Federal Revenue Service has initiated proceedings to identify those responsible for shipping and receiving the goods.
According to the auditor, the seized medications will be destroyed due to suspicion of counterfeiting.
“The medications, which we suspect are counterfeit, will be destroyed. As for the cell phones, they will be disposed of as determined by the Federal Revenue Service; they may be incorporated into public assets, donated, or auctioned off,” she concluded.
Investigations are ongoing to identify those involved in the scheme and determine the origin of the seized materials.
« Home
