Chinese drugs said to contain human flesh are not licensed to be manufactured, imported registered or circulated in Vietnam, the country’s drug administration said on Friday in response to recent reports that such a drug has been in circulation in Nigeria.

The Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) confirmed last month that a Chinese drug sold in the African country contained human flesh, according to a report on The Guardian.

According to investigations by the National Intelligence Agency of Nigeria, the drugs were sold in the form of capsules and were filled with powdered flesh from dead babies whose bodies were chopped into small pieces and dried on stoves before being turned into powder in north-eastern China.

“The South Korean Customs Service, on 30th September 2018 revealed that it has seized 2,751 Chinese drugs/capsules, containing human remains from fetuses, infants and flesh imported into the country by some Chinese nationals,” NIA said in a statement.

“The manufacturers claim that the drugs/capsules can boost stamina, cure cancer, diabetes and some other terminal diseases.”

“The capsules were smuggled in suitcases and through international mail.”

The agency revealed that South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety indicated that 18.7 billion viruses, including hepatitis B virus were found in the capsules.

In light of these reports, the Drug Administration of Vietnam on Friday issued a dispatch to provincial and municipal health departments warning of the presence of such drugs in foreign markets.

Though these drugs are not licensed in Vietnam, the drug administration has called on local health departments to warn residents against buying and using drugs of unclear origins on the black market.

Residents are encouraged to report to relevant authorities of any discovery of drugs advertised to contain human flesh in Vietnam.

Vietnam’s market watchdog is also asked to step up inspection to timely discover harmful drugs in circulation, the drug administration said in its dispatch.

It was not the first time that drugs from fetuses and human flesh made in China have filtered into markets worldwide.

In 2011, Chinese officials launched investigations into the production of drugs made from dead fetuses, The Guardian reports.

The capsules were disguised as stamina boosters and some people believed them to be a panacea for disease.

Investigations also revealed that thousands of the same drugs were first confiscated in South Korea in 2012.

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