LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has busted a transnational gang allegedly involved in illegal organ transplant in China.

The agency previously arrested a number of suspects involved in illegal human organ transplant, especially in Punjab where recipients from the Gulf often visited for kidney procedures.

On Monday, a team conducted a raid at the passport office on the directions of FIA Punjab Zone-I Deputy Director Sardar Mavarhan Khan on receiving information that an international gang was active in Lahore in illegal transplant of human organs. It arrested seven suspects, including donors and agents. The agents would allegedly motivate poor and needy people to sell their liver and kidney and then had the organ transplant conducted in China.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Khan said that during preliminary investigation it had transpired that the agents had contacts in China where they managed to get the organ transplant conducted by Chinese doctors.

“This is the first time that such a gang has been unearthed which was involved in illegal human organ transplant in China. An agent pays around Rs400,000 to a donor and arranges his travel to the country. A recipient usually reaches there (China) on his own,” Mr Khan said.

The official further explained that this gang was part of an international racket. When asked how many donors this gang had transported to the neighbouring country, Mr Khan said: “During investigation, it has been revealed that this gang has transported around 30 people to China for the purpose.”

The arrested suspects were identified as Abdul Latif, Muhammad Hanif, Abdul Ghaffar, Haq Nawaz, Abdul Jabbar, Muhammad Zulfiqar and Rafaqat Ali. Most of them belonged to Okara district. A case was registered against them under sections 10, 11 Punjab Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amended) Act 2012.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2020