ABC Investigation Finds Peptides Sold on Facebook Marketplace

An ABC News investigation has documented the sale of unapproved injectable peptides through Facebook Marketplace, with dealers meeting buyers in person or shipping products via Australia Post.

Reporter Jordan Bissell coordinated a purchase as part of the investigation, receiving a vial and syringe in exchange for $50 cash. The dealer sourced customers through Facebook Marketplace under a pseudonym, offering substances including melonatan II and retatrutide, the experimental weight loss drug linked to liver failure in Victorian cases earlier this year.

The investigation, published 2 August 2026, found that some sellers claim to be offloading unused personal stock while others operate as businesses, importing from China and on-selling locally.

Australia Post and the distribution chain

Rebecca Lang, chief executive of the Queensland Network of Alcohol and other Drug Agencies, told the ABC the ease of delivery was enabling the trade.

“Australia Post is Australia’s largest drug dealer,” Lang said. “People are ordering things off the internet and having them delivered to their houses. There are millions of packages coming into the country every year, so there is no way in which we’re ever going to be able to police our way out of these sorts of things.”

A spokesperson for Australia Post told the ABC the sending of illicit items was prohibited, and it worked closely with law enforcement agencies including Australian Border Force to support detection operations.

Product quality concerns

University of Queensland researcher Dr Timothy Piatkowski, who tested samples obtained through the investigation, reported that none contained the advertised dosages.

“The TB-500 had nothing in it. The doses of the others ranged anywhere from about 40 per cent to 190 per cent of their labelled claims,” Dr Piatkowski said.

The 190 per cent result came from a vial of retatrutide, at dosages Dr Piatkowski said had caused elevated heart rate, increased liver enzymes and gastrointestinal upset in clinical trials. Small amounts of lead and cadmium were detected in some samples, though not above permissible daily limits.

Enforcement context

The investigation follows an escalation in TGA enforcement activity. In April 2026, a joint operation with the Australian Border Force and Victoria Police resulted in three arrests and the seizure of $2 million worth of products. The TGA has previously stated that “disclaimers that a product is for research use only does not make its supply lawful.”

Meta, Facebook’s parent company, told the ABC it had removed marketplace ads for peptides as they violated its policies. “Our policies prohibit the advertisement of prescription drugs without the proper authorisation and approval, and when we identify violating ads we work quickly to remove them,” a spokesperson said.

However, a follow-up Marketplace search a week later returned similar results. A TikTok spokesperson said the platform does not allow buying, selling or marketing of regulated goods such as retatrutide and blocks search results for related terms.

What to watch

Researchers, harm reduction advocates and authorities are scheduled to meet this month at a University of Queensland roundtable to formulate a public health response to steroid and peptide use. The ABC investigation demonstrates that despite increased regulatory warnings and enforcement actions, unapproved peptides remain readily accessible through mainstream digital platforms.

For educational purposes only. This content is informational and reflects publicly reported developments. It is not legal, medical, or regulatory advice. Consult a qualified professional for compliance questions.