NIA Cracks Down on Kerala's Trans-National Organ Trade Racket

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charge sheeted four individuals involved in a trans-national organ trade racket in Kerala under the guise of medical tourism. The accused exploited gullible youth for organ donations, trafficked them internationally, and extorted significant sums from patients needing transplants.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday charged four individuals linked to a trans-national organ trade racket disguised as medical tourism in Nedumbassery, Kerala, as per an official statement.

The accused lured young, unsuspecting individuals into donating their organs for money and then trafficked these organs to foreign nations. They used agents and social media to identify and exploit prospective organ donors in India, the NIA investigations revealed.

The gang also targeted Indian patients needing transplants, charging them around Rs 50 lakh for facilitation in Iran, falsely claiming that organ trading is legal there. Investigations uncovered that the suspects forged government documents, including seals and signatures, to further their illegal activities.

Three suspects, identified as Sabith Korukulath Nasar, Sajith Shyam, and Bellamkonda Ram Prasad, have been arrested, while a fourth, Madhu Jayakumar, remains at large. They face charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in a special NIA court in Ernakulam, Kerala.

The case, originally investigated by the Nedumbassery Police, was taken over by the NIA on July 3, 2024, and their investigations continue.

(With inputs from agencies.)