Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has dismantled an alleged human placenta smuggling network operating in Islamabad, arresting five suspects including three Chinese nationals, the agency said on Friday.
Raids Uncover Processing Plants
The FIA raided a house in Islamabad's upscale F-7 sector late Thursday night and found a complete plant for illegal processing of human organs, especially human placenta. The agency revealed that the accused used to illegally process and dry human placenta at the plant, and the finished products were exported to Vietnam under the name 'She Placenta'.
Following the first raid, another house in the E-11 sector was also raided based on information from the same network, where a similar processing center was found operational. Processing equipment and finished goods were recovered from the suspects, according to the FIA.
Arrests and Legal Action
The suspects arrested during the raid included three Chinese nationals and two Pakistani nationals. The FIA has registered a case against the suspects under relevant sections of the Human Organs Transplantation Act, 2010.
Background on Human Placenta
Human placenta is an organ that develops during pregnancy to supply oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. After childbirth, it is normally discarded, donated for research, or used for approved medical purposes with informed consent. Placental tissue, particularly the amniotic membrane, is processed under strict medical regulations and used in some wound dressings for burns, diabetic ulcers, and eye surgeries because it can promote healing. Some approved medical products are derived from donated placental tissue under regulated conditions.
Previous Organ Trafficking Cases
Pakistan has previously busted networks involved in human organ trafficking. In February, police in Rawalpindi recovered a laborer abducted by a gang involved in surgically extracting kidneys of poor healthy workers to transplant them into rich patients from abroad, according to local media. In a similar case, the FIA busted another gang of illegal kidney transplanters in Islamabad's G-16 sector, operating in the basement of a private residence.
