Kidney transplant racket busted

The Rawat Police on Thursday unearthed a gang involved in illegal organ transplantation, arresting one member during a road at a private housing society. Six other suspects, including a surgeon and his accomplices, managed to escape during the raid.

According to a Rawalpindi Police spokesman, a police team during its routine patrolling received information about the illegal organ transplantation site. The police immediately raided the place and released a man tied to a stretcher.

The victim later told the police that he was called to the place on the pretext of a job, and then his various medical tests were conducted after being administered some anaesthetic drug.

The purpose of the tests was to remove the victim's kidney, the spokesman said. The arrested accused during the investigation revealed that the gang was involved in selling the kidneys of their victims to well-to-do local and foreign nationals.

The police also recovered medicines and medical equipment, including kidney transplantation devices and tools. The spokesman said a person was saved from the dangerous illegal kidney removal due to the timely response of the police.

He added that the arrested accused was being interrogated and raids were underway to arrest the absconding accused.

The arrested suspect, identified as Zafarullah, made significant revelations during preliminary interrogation. Investigations into the wider network involved in the illegal organ trade are currently underway.