ZHENGZHOU, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Customs in central China's Zhengzhou City said they had recently intercepted 1,250 vials of human placenta extract, hailed as a tonic and cosmetic panacea in a number of Asian countries.

Zhengzhou customs said they found the vials in suspicious mail parcels that arrived from Japan on March 15 and March 18. No permit was provided for their entry.

Human placenta extract is popular among those who believe it can remedy disease and combat aging, spawning a profitable black market in China where traditional medical theories also recognize the therapeutic values of human placenta.

However, due to risks of transmission of hepatitis, syphilis or HIV, human placenta extract is strictly supervised and entry without certification is illegal in China.