Organ trade network busted

Five suspects held, Rs87.5m properties frozen, three vehicles seized

RAWALPINDI:

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has busted an organised gang involved in illegal kidney transplants in the federal capital, arresting five suspects, recovering Rs1 million in cash, freezing properties worth Rs87.5 million and seizing three vehicles. The agency is also considering launching a separate money-laundering investigation.

According to officials, FIA Islamabad Zone Director Shehzad Nadeem Bukhari formed a team under the supervision of Deputy Director Anti-Corruption Mir Faizan following a tip-off. The team, accompanied by officials from the Human Organ Transplantation Authority (HOTA), raided an illegal transplant facility in PWD Society, Islamabad.

The raid revealed that a kidney from donor Ramzan Arshad had allegedly been transplanted illegally into recipient Muhammad Qasim. Three suspects were arrested at the scene, while two others were apprehended later. A court subsequently granted the FIA seven days' physical remand of the suspects.

Investigators found that the recipient had allegedly paid Rs3m for the transplant. Agents had arranged the donor and promised him Rs400,000, of which Rs340,000 was to be paid to the donor and Rs60,000 divided among three agents as commission.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects had allegedly performed kidney transplants in residential properties without the required medical qualifications or credentials. Essential tissue-typing, cross-matching, PRA, and HLA tests were reportedly arranged illegally through agents at a hospital. As these tests were restricted to close relatives approved by HOTA, the suspects allegedly submitted donor samples under relatives' names using forged referral letters to create the impression of a legally permitted related-donor transplant.

Recipients' dialysis was allegedly arranged through a technician at a hospital in Islamabad. If a patient's condition deteriorated after transplantation, the patient was transferred to another hospital. The network reportedly comprised agents, a doctor, a nurse, an anaesthesia provider, medicine suppliers, laboratory testing personnel and dialysis providers. It allegedly operated in PWD Society, Phase IV of a private housing society and private premises in Peshawar.

Further investigations revealed that the suspects had allegedly purchased valuable properties in Islamabad using proceeds from illegal kidney transplants. One suspect bought a 10-marla house in Media Town for Rs62.5m, while another purchased a five-marla house in Jinnah Garden Phase I for Rs25m

The FIA has frozen both properties after issuing notices under Section 5 of the FIA Act, 1974. Letters have also been sent to banks to obtain the suspects' financial records, while separate money-laundering proceedings against the two individuals are under consideration.

The agency recovered Rs1m in cash during searches and seized three vehicles: one Changan Oshan X7 and two Honda Civic cars. Their transfer and registration have also been frozen through the relevant excise office.

Following the raid, teams from HOTA, the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA) and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) inspected the illegal facility and are to submit separate reports.

A case has been registered against the suspects under Sections 9, 10 and 11(a)(ii) of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 2010, read with Sections 34, 419 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Officials said raids are continuing at various locations to arrest other nominated suspects.