Police have arrested at least ten suspects following an investigation into an organ for profit operation. The ring is suspected of harvesting human organs from poor destitute people, persuading them to sell body parts for profit. Members of the ring paid $1,000 to$10,000 for body parts. The recipients of the organs on the other hand paid $100,000.

The investigation is on an international level after Israeli authorities were alerted a number of weeks ago by European Union authorities, which stated that a Turkish citizen was taken into custody in Kosovo. While in custody he told that he had a kidney removed by the ring, and claims that after the surgery he was simply thrown out into the streets.

Police report that for one thing, the donors were ill informed, not at all aware of the risks associated with the organ donation. Secondly, police state that after receiving the organ, the recipients often did not receive proper medical care.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)