Pakistan Probes Human Placenta Smuggling for Anti-Aging Injections

ISLAMABAD, Jul 5: Pakistani authorities are investigating an alleged international syndicate accused of smuggling human placentas from hospitals for use in the production of anti-aging injections, following major seizures and multiple arrests.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said it uncovered an illegal processing facility in Islamabad during a raid last week, where officers seized around 500 kilograms of suspected human placenta and arrested five suspects.

According to the FIA, the group allegedly purchased about 200 kilograms of human placenta every month from hospitals before drying, processing and exporting the tissue overseas.

Photographs released by investigators showed trays of dried placental tissue stored inside a residential property that had allegedly been converted into a processing and storage facility.

In a separate operation on Wednesday, FIA officials intercepted another 100-kilogram shipment of suspected human placenta at Islamabad International Airport that was allegedly destined for Vietnam.

Authorities said the suspects bought placentas from hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi for around 800 Pakistani rupees (about $2.90) each. Investigators allege the tissue was intended for manufacturing anti-aging injections, with each injection reportedly selling for as much as 700,000 rupees (around $2,530).

The FIA believes the network's operations extended beyond the capital to other major cities, including Lahore, Peshawar, and Rawalpindi. Investigators are also examining whether immigration officials, waste management companies and hospital staff may have assisted the operation.

Officials said the suspects initially claimed they were processing sheep placentas but later admitted during questioning that the tissue was human placenta.

An FIA official told BBC Urdu that while the agency has previously handled cases involving illegal organ transplantation, this is the first investigation involving what authorities describe as an organised international network trafficking human placenta.

Under Pakistani law, individuals convicted of harvesting human organs for commercial purposes can face up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to one million rupees.

Medical experts have stressed that human placenta is classified as infectious medical waste and must be disposed of under strict regulations. Hospitals are required to hand such waste only to government-approved disposal companies and maintain detailed records of its disposal.

The placenta is a temporary organ that develops during pregnancy to nourish the fetus and is typically discarded as clinical waste after childbirth. Although some alternative medicine practitioners claim placenta-based products may promote tissue regeneration or anti-aging benefits, scientific evidence supporting such uses remains limited and regulations vary widely across countries.