Company 'shipped illegal fat-burning tablets around the world' Published duration 5 February 2019

image caption Carlisle Crown Court heard the firm was selling the substance knowing it would be used for human consumption

A company shipped illegal "fat-burner" tablets to thousands of customers around the world, a court has heard.

Enhanced Athlete Europe Ltd is accused of selling 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) "knowing or expecting that product was going to be for human consumption".

The company, with registered offices in Cumbria and Gateshead, denies placing an unsafe food product on the market.

Carlisle Crown Court heard the pills were "toxic" and could cause "serious harmful side effects and fatalities".

The court heard how mixing and pill-packing machines, along with tablets and several kilos of yellow DNP powder were found in a unit in Wigton by environmental health officers.

Email and website feedback exchanged between users and the company director were also recovered.

One person wrote to the company director: "The DNP one is the one they will jump all over you on.

"Last thing you want, bro, is some kid burning himself inside out."

Prosecutor Jonathan Hart said: "The prosecution say that those emails demonstrate that the company not only was committing the offence but knew what was happening."

He said the pills were "toxic" to humans and said they could cause "serious harmful side effects and fatalities".