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Pakistani authorities are investigating an alleged international syndicate accused of smuggling human placentas from hospitals for use in high-priced anti-ageing injections, following major seizures and arrests that have exposed what officials describe as an organised cross-border operation.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) alleges that the network purchased around 200 kilograms of human placenta each month from hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi before drying, processing and exporting the tissue overseas.
During a raid in Islamabad last week, investigators seized about 500kg of what is believed to be human placenta from a house allegedly converted into an illegal storage and processing facility. Five suspects were arrested during the operation.
Photographs released by the FIA showed trays of dried placenta stacked on trolley carts inside the premises, which officials said had been equipped for processing the tissue.
In a separate operation on Wednesday, FIA officials intercepted a 100kg shipment of suspected human placenta at Islamabad International Airport that was reportedly destined for Vietnam.
According to Hina Kanwal, an official at Pakistan’s Human Organ Transplant Authority, the suspects allegedly bought placentas from hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi for around 800 Pakistani rupees (about $2.90) each.
Investigators believe the tissue was intended for the production of anti-ageing injections that can reportedly sell for as much as 700,000 rupees (around $2,530) per dose.
The FIA suspects the operation extended beyond the capital region, with possible links to Lahore, Peshawar and other major cities. Authorities are also investigating whether immigration officials, hospital staff and waste management companies played any role in facilitating the alleged trafficking network.
Under Pakistani law, those convicted of harvesting human organs for commercial purposes can face up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to one million rupees.
An FIA official told BBC Urdu that while the agency had previously taken action against illegal organ transplantation, this was the first case involving what investigators believe to be an organised international network trafficking human placenta.
Officials said the five suspects initially claimed the seized material was sheep placenta but later admitted during questioning that it was human tissue.
Medical experts say placentas are classified as highly infectious clinical waste and must be disposed of under strict regulations.
Sadaf Tariq, a gynaecologist in Pakistan, said hospitals are required to hand over placentas only to government-approved waste disposal companies while maintaining detailed records of their disposal.
The placenta is a temporary organ that develops in the uterus during pregnancy, supplying oxygen and nutrients to the developing baby. It is normally discarded as medical waste after childbirth.
Although some alternative health practitioners claim placenta-derived products may promote tissue regeneration or provide nutritional benefits because they contain protein, iron and other nutrients, scientific evidence supporting such anti-ageing treatments remains limited and inconclusive. Regulations governing the use of placenta-derived products also vary widely across different countries. Source- BBC News