3 held for organ trafficking
2005-03-09 19:39
Sofia - Police have arrested three people suspected of participating in a trafficking ring for human organs operating between Bulgaria and neighbouring Turkey, the country's top police official said on Wednesday.
General Boiko Borisov said that the people arrested in a joint police operation are believed to have solicited people to sell one of their kidneys to a private clinic in Turkey. He did not specify the location of the clinic.
After a medical check-up, the kidneys were removed and each of the donors received between US$2 500 and US$5 000, Borisov said.
According to Borisov, there was evidence of at least six such cases.
If found guilty, the traffickers face up to 10 years in prison.
- AP