Prosecutors charge 5, including army general, with illegal organ trafficking ring
By APThursday, April 22, 2010
5 indicted in Israeli organ trafficking ring
JERUSALEM — Israel has indicted five of its citizens, including a retired army general, with operating a nationwide organ trafficking ring that ensnared dozens of potential victims.
The charges released Thursday include human trafficking for the purpose of organ harvesting and money laundering. The indictment says the organ harvesting ring exploited the desperate condition of sick people, calling it a “form of modern slavery.”
Police say the traffickers allegedly offered up to $100,000 per kidney but in at least two cases didn’t pay the donors.
The charges say donors were sought through advertisements. Then they were flown from Israel to Europe, South America or Southeast Asia, where the organs were extracted in illegal procedures.
Israeli law bans organ sales.
