In Brazil’s São Paulo, armed gangs on the hunt for something more sought-after than gold—Ozempic

Desperation for ‘weight-loss’ drug that’s used to treat type-2 diabetes is real. Break-ins at pharmacies have also been reported in Michigan, US, and Santiago de Copostela, Spain.

Representational photo of a box of Ozempic | Flickr

New Delhi: Ozempic is the new gold for thieves and armed gangs. In São Paulo, Brazil, armed robbers are targeting pharmacies in smash-and-grabs specifically for the ‘weight-loss’ drug that’s used to treat type-2 diabetes.

Thieves looking to make a quick buck are cashing in on the growing demand for Ozempic and other semaglutide-based drugs like Wegovy and Saxenda among people who are convinced that they are miracle cures for weight loss. 

This is especially true in Brazil, where body image is paramount but obesity is on the rise, according to a report in The New York Times. According to a health ministry study quoted in the report, in Brazil’s largest cities, obesity increased to 24 percent in 2023 from nearly 12 percent in 2006. 

An NYT analysis of the São Paulo State database showed that theft of Ozempic has risen in the last three years—from one incident in 2022 when four boxes of Ozempic were taken from a single drugstore to 18 in 2023 and 39 in 2024.

“The wave of thefts began when social media started openly discussing the drug, particularly as celebrity and influencers showcased dramatic weight loss,” Renata Goncalves, head of a union of pharmacists in Sao Paulo, told the NYT.

The desperation for the drug is real, and world over, the black market is thriving. Break-ins at pharmacies have also been reported in Michigan, US, and Santiago de Copostela, Spain. 

In Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro, for instance, free Ozempic even became a campaign promise when the mayor actively advocated the drug for weight loss and promised to make it available for free. “Rio will be a city where there will be no more fat people; everyone will be taking Ozempic at family clinics,” the mayor said while seeking re-election last year.

“This is the first time I’ve seen weight loss drugs actually targeted for theft,” Issa Shain, Police chief in Dearborn, Michigan, told the media.

But the drugs are not cheap and are seen as a luxury item. In India, people are spending as much as Rs 80,000 on a six-month course or scouring the black market for a shot.

There are fears that this trend will continue to rise. The patent for semaglutide, the main ingredient of the Ozempic drug, will expire in 2026 in a number of countries, including India, China and Brazil. Only then will manufacturers in these countries be able to market generic and cheaper versions of the drug.

Sneha Yadav graduated from the first batch of ThePrint School of Journalism.

(Edited by Sanya Mathur)