SCNS cracks down on transnational organ trafficking group
Bishkek – 24.kg news agency – by Maria ORLOVA
The State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan (SCNS) has successfully put an end to the activities of a transnational group involved in illegal trade of human organs. This significant breakthrough was reported by the press center of the SCNS.
The SCNS revealed the operations of an international criminal group that had established a secure channel for the trafficking of human organs outside the country. Two Kyrgyz citizens were apprehended in connection to this illicit operation. These individuals were identified as seeking out patients in foreign medical facilities who were in need of kidney transplants and were willing to pay exorbitant amounts, reaching up to $80,000. Simultaneously, within Kyrgyzstan, they were also engaged in the recruitment of donors who were deceived into providing their organs for transplantation.
The SCNS elaborated, stating that the recruited donors underwent compulsory medical examinations, with favorable reports being issued irrespectively of their health condition. Subsequently, the organizers would then fabricate documents indicating a familial relationship with the patient, an essential requirement for the operation to proceed in overseas clinics. These criminals would then facilitate the transportation of the donors out of Kyrgyzstan.
The donors themselves were compensated anywhere from $1,000 to $7,000 per kidney, while the recruiters received up to $3,000 for each donor they brought in. A substantial portion of the proceeds was directed to the mastermind behind the operation, with amounts ranging from $30,000 to $70,000.
The arrest of these individuals took place at Manas airport during a controlled operation involving the transportation of another donor. Subsequently, they have been taken into custody at the SCNS detention center. Efforts are currently underway to identify additional individuals involved in these criminal activities.
