Human placenta for anti-ageing serum? 3 Chinese nationals among 5 arrested in Pakistan over alleged smuggling network

An alleged international smuggling network involved in the illegal trade and processing of human placentas for anti-ageing injections and cosmetic products has been uncovered in Pakistan, leading to the arrest of five people, including three Chinese nationals, officials said.

The operation was carried out by Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which raided two illegal processing facilities in Islamabad after receiving intelligence about a network involving foreign nationals and Pakistani citizens engaged in the illicit trade of human biological material.

According to Pakistani daily The Express Tribune, FIA officials first raided a house in Islamabad's upscale F-7/1 sector after surveillance confirmed intelligence inputs. Investigators allegedly discovered a fully operational processing unit where human placentas were being cleaned, dried and processed before being exported under the label "She Placenta".

Five suspects were arrested on the premises. They were identified as Chinese nationals Li Gangcai, Wang Bao and Peng Fei Gua, along with two Pakistani citizens, Waqas and Qasim Hanif.

During the raid, another Chinese national, identified only as Li, arrived at the property claiming to know one of the arrested suspects, according to Riyadh-based Arab News.

Based on information obtained during the interrogation of those arrested, FIA teams carried out a second raid at a property in Islamabad's E-11 sector. Officials said they found another processing facility equipped with refrigerators and biological material. Two additional Pakistani nationals were detained for questioning, The Express Tribune reported.

Human placenta allegedly exported to Vietnam

According to Arab News, quoting the FIA, investigators found a "complete plant for illegal processing of human organs, especially human placenta" at the F-7 residence. "The finished products were exported to Vietnam under the name She Placenta," the FIA said, according to the report.

Authorities said they recovered processing equipment, raw biological material and finished products from both locations. A case has been registered under Pakistan's Human Organ and Tissue Transplantation Act, 2010, and further investigations are underway.

Why human placenta?

The placenta is a temporary organ that develops during pregnancy and provides oxygen and nutrients to the foetus. Following childbirth, it is typically discarded as clinical waste, donated for scientific research or used for approved medical treatments with informed consent.

Donated placental tissue is used in medical research on pregnancy complications, genetics, immunology, and stem cell therapies. It is also used in some authorised medical programmes to help treat burn injuries and reconstruct damaged tissue.

Placental extracts, sourced from either human or animal placentas, are also marketed in parts of the cosmetic and wellness industry. They are used in creams, serums and injectable products that claim to offer anti-ageing and skin-rejuvenating benefits, although the effectiveness of many such products remains a subject of scientific debate.