Dubai: A fake doctor is in police custody after he impersonated a top American plastic surgeon of Hollywood stars and conducted procedures on some women in a private villa leaving them with serious complications, Gulf News has learned.

The man performed liposuction on women and the operating conditions were so primitive that he discarded the removed fat into a cooking pot, Dr Jeehan Qadir, executive chairperson of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital, told Gulf News. "The operation requires a special disposal machine which he did not have," she said.

Liposuction is surgery to improve the contours of the body by removing excess fat from specific parts of the body. She said some women quizzed the doctor, asking why such a famous doctor does not have a signboard outside. But Dr Qadir suspects that many women knew that he was not a certified doctor but went to him anyway as his charges were as low as Dh500.

The trickery came to light after a patient of the real doctor sent the latter a copy of the card the fake one was flaunting and asked, "Is this really you," said Dr Qadir.

The fake doctor was very blatant as the doctor he was impersonating was America's top surgeon Dr Steven B. Hopping, who is well known for his liquid facelift procedures. Dr Hopping also was the President of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery.

Police sources said the fake doctor has had a Red Notice alert from Interpol since 2008 for carrying out surgeries without a medical licence and for smuggling illegal medical drugs into the US.

Police said the man, S.M., 41, was arrested following reports of his involvement in dozens of illegal cosmetic surgeries from his Al Barsha residence. The suspect was initially arrested two years ago in Sharjah because of the Red Notice.

The source said he was referred to Abu Dhabi authorities where he was subsequently released as his file was not sent to UAE authorities from the US. A suspect on a Red Notice cannot be held without proof of his wrongdoing.

According to Brigadier Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, Director of the General department of Criminal Investigation, an investigative unit set a trap for the fraudster after being tipped off by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery in Dubai Healthcare City.

Dr Qadir advised both men and women not to trust such ‘cheap' surgeons. "Your body deserves better," she advised.