Interpol hunts Israeli organ traffickers

Interpol has issued arrest warrants for two Israelis involved in human organ trafficking through the Medicus Polyclinic in Kosovo's capital, Pristina.

The indictment is the starkest revelation of the extent of organized crime in the country since it declared independence in 2008.

EU prosecutors have also accused at least seven people of trafficking kidneys through a clinic in Kosovo.

A former senior Kosovo Health Ministry official and a number of doctors were reportedly involved. Prosecutors say the network promised poor people payment for their kidneys.

The victims were promised up to 14,500 euros (about $20,000), while the traffickers then sold the organs for as much as 100,000 euros (USD 137,000) each, according to an indictment obtained by the Associated Press on Thursday.

The organized criminal group trafficked people from Moldova, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkey into Kosovo for the purpose of removing human organs for transplant.

Kristiina Herodes, the Justice spokeswoman for the EU Rule of Law Mission, said that the accused have been charged with "organ trafficking, organized crime and abusing official position."

"At the moment we could say that the so-called donors in that case, and also the person who received the organs are of different nationalities," she added.

Some 20 foreign nationals were enticed with false promises of payments in 2008, she explained.

None of the suspects are in custody.

Names and other details of the case are to be made public at the end of this month.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/150761.html