THE INTERNATIONAL POLICE agency has issued an arrest warrant for the founder of the French firm responsible for the faulty breast implants that were used in thousands of surgeries across the world.

Interpol announced that Jean Claude Mas, founder of  Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), is wanted for “life and health” crimes in Costa Rica. No further details were given by the agency.

Tens of thousands of women have been advised to remove PIP breast implants after it was discovered they were made with industrial-grade silicone instead of medical materials.

More than 1,000 ruptures of the implants have already been reported in France. There were also fears that the implants may be carcinogenic but French health authorities have dismissed these claims.

However, the French government has said it will cover the costs of the removal of the implants from 30,000 women. It will also pay for a new implant if the surgery was undertaken as part of reconstruction after breast cancer, reports BBC News.

Authorities in the UK said that the 40,000 British women who received PIP implants should not be “unduly worried” but added that they should talk to their surgeons.

About 1,500 women in Ireland have received PIP implants and the Irish Medicines Board said they have received a small percentage of reports of “potential adverse incidents”.

It is understood that Mas is in the south of France, Reuters has reported.

Read more: France offers to pay for 30,000 breast implant removals>