Pakistan Probes Syndicate Suspected of Smuggling Human Placenta

Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is investigating a criminal syndicate believed to be involved in the smuggling of human placenta. The operation allegedly involves acquiring the material from hospitals to produce expensive anti-aging injections.

Last week, authorities raided an illegal processing facility in Islamabad, uncovering approximately 500 kilograms of what is believed to be human placenta. The raid led to the arrest of five individuals. Photographs released by the FIA showed trays of dried placenta stored inside a house that had been converted into a processing and storage site.

Further investigations revealed that the syndicate was also involved in international smuggling. On July 1, FIA officials intercepted a 100-kilogram shipment of placenta at Islamabad airport destined for Vietnam. According to Hina Kanwal, an officer at the Human Organ Transplant Authority (HOTA), the suspects purchased the placenta from hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi for about 800 Pakistani rupees (approximately $3.72) per piece.

The FIA estimates that the ring procured around 200 kilograms of placenta monthly from various hospitals. Initially, the suspects claimed the material was sheep placenta, but under interrogation, they admitted it was human. The agency believes the operation extends beyond Islamabad to other major cities like Lahore, Peshawar, and Rawalpindi. The harvested material was intended for anti-aging injections, reportedly costing up to 700,000 rupees ($3,240) each. The FIA is also examining potential complicity among immigration officers, waste management companies, and hospital personnel.

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The agency believes that the syndicate’s operations extend beyond the capital to other major cities such as Lahore, Peshawar and Rawalpindi.