ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has dismantled an organized gang involved in illegal commercial kidney transplants, arresting five people and seizing 1 million rupees in cash along with properties worth 87.5 million rupees and three vehicles, the agency said Thursday.
The FIA, working with the Human Organ Transplantation Authority, raided a premises in PWD Society in Islamabad and found that recipient Mohammad Qasim had received a kidney from donor Ramzan Arshad in violation of the law, according to a press release.
Three suspects were arrested at the scene and two others were apprehended later. A court granted seven-day physical remand of the suspects.
An FIR was registered 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.
Investigators said the recipient paid 3 million rupees in cash for the transplant. Agents arranged the donor and promised him 400,000 rupees, of which 340,000 rupees was to go to the donor and 60,000 rupees was to be divided among three agents as commission.
The suspects had been performing transplants in residential houses without any medical degree or certificate. Necessary tissue typing, cross-match, PRA and HLA tests were conducted illegally through a hospital by the agents. Because such tests are performed only for HOTA-approved close relatives, the suspects submitted donor samples under the names of the recipient's relatives with fake referral letters to make the cases appear to involve related donors.
Dialysis for recipients was arranged through a technician at a hospital in Islamabad, and patients whose condition deteriorated after surgery were shifted to another hospital, the agency said.
The network consisted of agents, a doctor, a nurse, an anesthesia provider, a medicine supplier, a laboratory test facilitator and a dialysis provider. The gang had been operating at private locations in PWD Society, Bahria Phase-4 and Peshawar.
Investigations further revealed that the suspects had purchased properties in Islamabad with illicit proceeds from the illegal transplants.
One suspect bought a 10-marla house in Media Town, Islamabad, for 62.5 million rupees, while another purchased a 5-marla house in Jinnah Garden Phase-I, Islamabad, for 25 million rupees. The transfer of both properties has been frozen through notices issued under Section 5 of the FIA Act, 1974.
Letters were sent to all banks to obtain records of the suspects, and separate money laundering proceedings against both were under consideration.
During the search, 1 million rupees in cash was recovered and three vehicles — one Changan Oshan X7 and two Honda Civics — were seized, with their transfer and registration frozen through the excise office.
Teams from HOTA, the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan inspected the illegal setup and will submit separate reports. The setup has been sealed.
The operation was conducted on the directions of Syed Shehzad Nadeem Bukhari, director of the FIA's Islamabad Zone, and under the supervision of Faizan Mir, deputy director of the FIA Anti-Corruption Circle in Islamabad.
Raids were being conducted at various locations to arrest the remaining suspects, and further investigation was underway, the agency said.
