FIA Busts Human Placenta Smuggling Network in Islamabad

Islamabad — The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has broken up an alleged international human placenta smuggling network and shut down two illegal biological material processing units operating in Islamabad, officials confirmed on Friday. Five suspects, including three Chinese nationals — Li Ganglei, Wang Bao, and Pengfei Gao along with two Pakistani citizens, Waqas Sarwar and Qaiser Hanif, were arrested during coordinated raids in the F-7/1 and E-11 sectors.

Investigators allege the group mislabeled human placenta as "sheep placenta" to export it abroad, particularly to Vietnam, for use in pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing. A case has been registered under the Human Organ Transplant Authority (HOTA) Act, 2010, with forensic testing underway.

How the FIA Uncovered the Smuggling Operation

According to an FIA spokesperson, the agency launched coordinated raids in two residential and commercial pockets of Islamabad after receiving intelligence about suspicious biological material processing activity. The operation led to the discovery of two covert facilities allegedly used to collect, process, and prepare human placenta for export.

Officials said the suspects had built a structured supply chain, relying on local facilitators to keep the operation running across multiple cities.

Items Recovered During the Raids

FIA teams recovered a range of materials from the two facilities, which officials say point to an organized processing operation rather than an isolated incident. Items seized include:

• Processing machinery used to prepare biological material

• Finished, packaged products ready for shipment

• Human organs and other suspected human tissue samples

All recovered samples have been forwarded to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for forensic examination to confirm their exact biological composition.

Roles of the Arrested Suspects

Investigators say the three Chinese nationals — Li Ganglei, Wang Bao, and Pengfei Gao — were allegedly the primary operators behind the collection, processing, and export of the material. The two Pakistani suspects, Waqas Sarwar and Qaiser Hanif, are accused of acting as drivers and facilitators, helping procure and transport biological material between cities.

Alleged Supply Chain Spanning Multiple Cities

Preliminary findings indicate that human placentas were allegedly sourced from hospitals in Peshawar, Rawalpindi, and Lahore before being routed to the processing facilities in Islamabad for preparation and packaging.

Intended Use of the Exported Material

Officials said the processed material was allegedly intended for export markets, where it is believed to have been used in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical and medical products. Investigators have not yet specified the exact companies or buyers involved.

Legal Action and Continuing Investigation

A case has been registered against all five suspects under the Human Organ Transplant Authority (HOTA) Act, 2010. The FIA said further investigation is underway to identify additional individuals who may have been involved in the alleged network.

Officials reiterated that the precise nature of all seized biological material will only be confirmed once laboratory testing at PIMS is complete. Authorities said the case remains active, and more arrests could follow as the investigation progresses.

(Source: ARY News )