Investigative reporting described a thriving gray‑market trade in GLP‑1–class peptides and other fitness‑oriented peptides sourced from Chinese manufacturers and sold to Western consumers at steep discounts. The Financial Times–style exposé details logistical arbitrage, dubious purity documentation, and unregulated telehealth prescribing that together create regulatory and public‑health risks. GLP‑1 agonists are prescription incretin drugs used to treat diabetes and, increasingly, obesity; they require regulated manufacturing and medical oversight. The emergence of an illicit supply chain complicates market access, undermines legitimate pricing and distribution strategies, and raises safety concerns from adulteration and unsupervised use.