A pharmacy dispensing assistant who stole weight loss drug Ozempic and sold it on the black market has been spared jail by magistrates. Akshay Sennik, 31, took two £75 pens of the sought-after medication from a stock room and flogged them for £100, Bromley Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday.
The court was told that Sennik, who had worked for nine years in healthcare, was arrested after colleagues noticed “shrinkage” in the drug’s stockpile. The dispensing assistant, whose address was given as his parents’ home in Chislehurst, South East London, pleaded guilty to the offences.
Magistrates sentenced Sennik to a two-year conditional discharge after hearing his offending was motivated by alcoholism. The defendant, who had no previous criminal record, will face no further punishment if he stays out of trouble during the discharge period.
Theft During Global Shortage Crisis
The theft comes amid a global shortage of Ozempic and related weight loss medications that has created a thriving black market. The World Health Organization (WHO) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) have both warned in recent years that the black market is flourishing for counterfeit semaglutide, which is the active ingredient in blockbuster anti-obesity and diabetes medicines such as Ozempic and Wegovy.
Interpol said a single semaglutide pen can sell for hundreds of euros on the black market. The drugs Sennik stole for £75 each and sold for £100 represent a fraction of the typical black market prices, suggesting a quick local sale rather than involvement in larger criminal networks.
The shortage has been particularly acute in the UK, where diabetes patients have struggled to access their prescribed medication. Diabetes patients in the UK are reportedly having to call up to 30 pharmacies to find someone who has the medicine in stock, according to reports from earlier this year.
Rising Demand Fuels Criminal Activity
Ozempic, manufactured by Novo Nordisk, is licensed for treating type 2 diabetes but has gained enormous popularity as a weight loss aid after clinical trials showed its effectiveness in suppressing appetite. This off-label use has contributed to severe supply problems globally.
Its sharp rise in popularity led to global supply issues, even creating a shortage for diabetes patients in the UK. As a result, many illegal and unregulated versions of the drugs have been popping up on the black market, labelled as ‘diet kits.
The legitimate retail price for Ozempic in the UK is approximately £75 per pen, making the medication a valuable target for theft. With The drug cost $219 for a month’s supply, a fraction of the list price of $968 for a month’s supply of Ozempic in the U.S., the international price disparities have created additional incentives for criminal activity.
Healthcare Sector Vulnerability
Sennik’s case highlights the vulnerability of the healthcare sector to internal theft, particularly of high-demand medications. His nine-year career in healthcare provided both access to the drugs and knowledge of their value on the illicit market.
The detection of the theft through inventory “shrinkage” suggests that pharmacies are implementing stock control measures to combat such crimes. However, the case raises questions about whether current security protocols are sufficient given the extraordinary demand for weight loss medications.
Legal Consequences and Sentencing
The two-year conditional discharge handed down by Bromley magistrates reflects several mitigating factors in Sennik’s case. His lack of previous convictions, his guilty plea, and the court’s acceptance that alcoholism motivated his offending all contributed to the lenient sentence.
Under a conditional discharge, Sennik will face no immediate punishment but must not commit any further offences during the two-year period. If he does reoffend, he can be sentenced for both the new offence and the original theft.
The case occurred at a time when pharmacy-related crimes are under increased scrutiny. Recent high-profile cases in the United States have seen pharmacy owners and workers sentenced to lengthy prison terms for healthcare fraud schemes worth millions of dollars.
Broader Implications
The theft of Ozempic from legitimate pharmacies represents just one aspect of a complex global problem. A CNBC investigation into counterfeit weight loss drugs revealed an international illegal marketplace where criminals either brazenly alter the drugs or ship the real product from overseas — what’s known as drug diversion and against federal law.
Law enforcement agencies worldwide have intensified efforts to combat the illegal trade. Police seize €57 million in illegal Ozempic, peptides, and other black market drugs in global bust, according to recent Interpol operations.
Industry Response
The pharmaceutical industry has taken legal action to protect supply chains and combat counterfeiting. In April 2025, a Texas federal court ruled in favor of Novo Nordisk and FDA, denying a compounding trade association’s motion to freeze the FDA’s decision to end the shortage of semaglutide, reinforcing regulations against unauthorised production.
Healthcare providers have been urged to implement stricter controls and monitoring systems to prevent internal theft. The NHS has issued guidance prioritising diabetes patients for Ozempic prescriptions while supply constraints continue.
Moving Forward
As the demand for weight loss medications shows no signs of abating, the pressure on legitimate supply chains continues. The weight loss treatment market is a lucrative one and is estimated to reach US$100 billion (£79 billion) by 2030.
For healthcare workers like Sennik, the temptation to exploit access to these valuable medications may prove overwhelming, particularly when personal problems such as addiction are involved. His case serves as a warning to others in the healthcare sector about the serious consequences of breaching professional trust.
The conditional discharge, while lenient, carries significant professional implications. Sennik’s conviction will likely affect his ability to work in healthcare settings where he would have access to controlled substances, effectively ending his pharmacy career.
As supply issues gradually resolve and new weight loss medications enter the market, authorities hope the incentives for theft and black market trading will diminish. Until then, pharmacies must remain vigilant against both internal theft and external criminal enterprises seeking to profit from the ongoing shortage.
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Image Credit:
Ozempic® 3ml injector pen – Image by Jynto (talk), licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication, via Wikimedia Commons.
