The growing demand for Ozempic and similar drugs used to lose weight in Brazil has sparked a wave of violent robbery at pharmacies by organized gangs who view it as a lucrative source of income. New York Times It has been reported On the weekend.
ozempic is a Controversial Drugs that are primarily used process For individuals with type 2 diabetes. In recent years, the use of drugs for weight loss along with similar drugs such as Wegovy and Saxenda has seen a dramatic surge in weight loss in the US and around the world.
São Paulo, Brazil's largest city, has become a “hot spot” for weight loss drug robbers in recent months. New York Times. The gang will then reportedly resell the drugs on platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook. The era In Brazil, a country with a monthly minimum wage of around $300, the supply of Ozempics cost between $120 and $190.
David Fernando, a 36-year-old pharmacist from Sao Paulo, The era He was attacked while working at a drugstore in late January, referring to Ozempic and other weight loss pills by a man who wanted a register and “drug from the fridge.” The suspect reportedly made it with five boxes of drugs.
Fernando said the drugstore had been stolen twice in the second half of 2024 by Ozempic. After the latest incident, security guards are listed outside the pharmacy.
The era It pointed out that another four block of drugstores north was attacked in August. Police suspended the Ozempic robbery. Shootout According to Brazilian media outlet Uol, it injured an old man. The pharmacy took “even greater precautions” after the incident in August.
Two Robbers cited by The era to follow Many reports from local media in 2023 and 2024 of Ozempic robbery across Sao Paulo pharmacies. Brazilian newspaper in June oGlobo It has been reported A pharmacy in eastern Sao Paulo was taken three times within a month on alleged burglary charges for Ozempic.
The pharmacy claimed that criminals stole more than 20 boxes of Ozempics, in addition to other drugs such as cannabidiol extract and benbanze. The latter is a drug Used It is reportedly known locally for its illegal use in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). An investigation by local police determined that the same gang had carried out all three robberies, robbed another pharmacy the same month and sold the stolen drugs online.
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Similarly, another gang was reported in March Stole More than $210,000 in drugs, including 80 boxes of Ozempics from a pharmacy in Sao Paulo. Police allegedly arrested five gangsters (responsible for at least 20 robbers, vehicles and other goods) and hid the goods in the warehouse. Reports say gangs sold stolen Ozempics and Benbangse, which usually require a prescription, as they are less than their regular market prices.
In May, there was a man suspected of stealing Ozempics from more than 20 pharmacies in the southern city of Londrina, Parana. shot He was killed by a local official after failing to comply with an order to stop while police approaching.
The growing “black market” of ozempics and similar weight loss drugs in Brazil also led to reports of counterfeit ozempics. Police officers in Rio de Janeiro in October I warned The growth of the fake drug market after women undergoing Ozempic treatments are hospitalized in Rio's Copacabana district. Upon discharge, hospital staff reportedly allegedly allegedly suspected the woman could be a victim of counterfeit ozempics.
“No one who has Ozempic stocks can work in peace,” said Wilson Martins, manager of an independent pharmacy in western Sao Paulo. The era. “People ask, 'Do you have an Ozempic?' No, we don't. And if we do that, we will not be taken away. ”
Martins, 72, further explained that customers who want one of the coveted weight loss pills must order it directly and make a promise – and he is a “good measure.” He added that he holds a “leather machete” behind the counter.
Pedro Ibo Correa dos Santos, the police chief of the Criminal Investigation Bureau in Sao Paulo, The era The “growth trend” of violent pharmacy robbery has scared workers and urged facilities to reduce their supply of weight loss drugs. According to Corrêa Dos Santos, many of the pharmacies operate 24/7, 70%, storing products in the fridge without genuine security.
“Some crime gangs are taking away trucks that deliver wholesale Ozempics,” says Correa Dos Santos. “One of the gangs that police dismantled last year included a transport company employee.”
The era The report noted that they have local celebrities, influencers and even politicians. Openly He spoke about using ozenpics due to weight loss, exacerbating public demand for drugs.
During the 2024 election campaign, the current mayor of Rio de Janeiro Eduardo Peze told his followers he “takes a lot of Ozempics” and lost around 65 pounds. PAES has promised its followers that Ozempic will be available for free if selected.
It is reportedly repetition When he took office in January, Brazil would pursue a program to fight obesity based on the acquisition of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, once the drug patent expired in 2026.
A wave of violent Ozempic robbery across Brazilian pharmacies has occurred amid a continuing escalation of gang violence that is common throughout the nation. This was enhanced by a reported alliance between Brazil's largest transnational organized crime syndicate and Commando Vermello (“Red Command”), another of Brazil's leading criminal organizations .
Information report from Brazil's Ministry of Justice review Based on information from the National Secretariat for Criminal Policy, both PCC and Red Commando unify gang legal teams aimed at strengthening and suing both groups, according to local outlets over the weekend. It warned that a “cooperation agreement” has been reached with the company. A request from a leader currently in jail.
The Brazilian authorities' report also warned that the integration of both criminal organizations and human trafficking routes could lead to increased international cocaine trafficking and arms trafficking to Brazil.
alliance It will be displayed It was enacted after Red Command members recently stormed the police station at Rio de Janeiro and then held Red Command leader Rodolfo Manhãesviana. One police officer was reportedly injured in the attack.
Last week, police searching for Albaro Malachias Santa Rosa, one of Rio de Janeiro's most wanted drug traffickers, said Shootout It forced an emergency landing between a police officer and a drug trafficker who left four injured and damaged a police helicopter.
Christian K. Calzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
