A gym boss made nearly £1million in cash by selling fat-burning pills he made in his shed.

Jamie George, 33, ran what was described as “a significant manufacturing operation” in his garden shed in Falkirk and was jailed in July 2023 for three years at Stirling Sheriff Court over the illegal enterprise. the court heard he had been filling and selling 2,4-dinitrophenol capsules from all over the world.

The court was also told that the capsules, also known as DNP, is a highly toxic industrial chemical that is used in the manufacture of explosives. A recent trend has seen body body builders use it for “fat burning” and body sculpture.

Depute fiscal Simona Gersheva yesterday said it had been agreed between prosecutors and Geroge’s lawyers that the “benefit” he gained due to selling of the capsules had amounted to £937,635. She added the amount available to be seized was about £31,050.

Ms Gersheva tendered the court a joint minute agreeing the figures. Sheriff Derek Hamilton made a Proceeds of Crime Act confiscation order for the £31,05 Following the hearing, George, who has now been released from prison, avoided questions from reporters, Mirror affiliate The Daily Record reported.

When asked: “You made nearly a million pounds from crime, but you’re paying back only £30,000, have you anything to say?” George shook his head, shrugged, and walked away.

Investigations found George had been posting supplies from Laurieston Post Office, in Falkirk, to customers as far away as Asia, Australia and the US. He also advertised online and was warned to stop but continued regardless.

He was arrested in October 2018 after a further raid on his home in Denny. He told officers he was aware that DNP was classified as a poison and was not safe for human consumption, and that he was aware of the dangers of taking it.

Prosecutor James Moncrieff, who led the case against him in 2023, said: “A large proportion of that turnover is business related to supplements, and although a proportion of that is DNP, it is unclear how much.”

Another analysis identified the receipt of £50,000 of “suspicious money” over a one-year period, though again how much of it was from DNP is not clear. George, a dad of three, from Denny, pleaded guilty to culpable and reckless endangerment of life, by supplying pills over a four year period between May 1, 2017, and October 8, 2021, from three properties in Falkirk, including two of his homes.

George was detained following a major criminal probe involving the Food Standards Scotland, Police Scotland and Falkirk Council, including a 2021 undercover police investigation.

As he imposted a 37 month jail term, Sheriff Hamilton said George had carried on with his activities after he was told the pills could be deadly. He added: “You were well aware of the dangers of DNP. You took no notice of that and continued your trade. All the evidence points to your gain being very significant.

“You knew some years ago of the dangers of DNP, but even with that knowledge, you continued to put people’s lives at risk.” At least 33 people in the UK are said to have died after taking dinitrophenol.

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