Authorities in Pakistan are investigating a syndicate suspected of illegally sourcing and exporting human placentas to be processed into anti‑ageing injections. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) says the ring bought and dried dozens of placentas monthly before shipping them overseas.
Hospitals, raids and seizures
The FIA says the group purchased about 200kg of placenta from hospitals each month and ran an illegal processing facility in Islamabad. During a raid last week officials recovered roughly 500kg of dried placenta stored on trays inside a house‑turned‑processing unit and arrested five suspects. Separately, a 100kg shipment was intercepted at Islamabad airport bound for Vietnam.
How the operation worked
- Procurement: Placenta were reportedly bought from hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi for around 800 rupees per piece.
- Processing: The material was dried and prepared at clandestine facilities before export.
- Export: The FIA alleges products were destined for foreign markets where they would be turned into costly anti‑ageing injections, reportedly priced at about 700,000 rupees each.
Investigations and possible complicity
The agency says the network may operate beyond the capital, with suspected links to Lahore, Peshawar and Rawalpindi. Investigators are also probing potential involvement of immigration officers, waste‑management firms and hospital staff. The five suspects initially claimed the consignments were sheep placenta but later admitted they were human tissue, officials say.
Legal and health context
In Pakistan, commercial harvesting of human organs carries penalties up to 10 years’ imprisonment and fines up to 1 million rupees. Medical experts emphasise that placenta is classed as highly infectious clinical waste and must be handled only by authorised disposal companies under strict records and protocols. While some alternative‑medicine practitioners claim placenta products support tissue regeneration, scientific evidence is limited and regulations vary worldwide.
