FIA arrests six in crackdown on kidney rackets

Islamabad: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has initiated countrywide crackdown against the racketeers engage in human organs, getting major achievements at early phase, busted multiple gangs involved in the illegal trade of human organs, primarily kidneys.

These raids have taken place in different cities and have led to the arrests of doctors, hospital staff, middlemen, and other individuals associated with these criminal networks, a spokesman of the FIA Headquarters, said Friday.

The FIA has announced the arrest of six individuals, including a notorious proclaimed offender, in a significant operation targeting a network involved in illegal human organ transplants.

The FIA Anti-Corruption Circle Lahore carried out coordinated raids in Rawalpindi and Islamabad as part of an ongoing nationwide crackdown against illicit kidney transplant activities, acting under the direct orders of Director General FIA Rifaat Mukhtar.

The six suspects arrested include the alleged ringleader of the network. They have been identified as Muhammad Athar, Babar Masih, Muhammad Imran, Nadeem Abbas, Bilal Ahmad, and Ijaz Ahmad.

The accused comprise a range of individuals involved in the operation, including donors, agents, and employees of private laboratories.

A significant arrest is that of Babar Masih, who was a proclaimed offender and had been wanted by FIA in three separate cases since 2021. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the network was engaged in the illegal trade and transplantation of human organs. The suspects are accused of preying on vulnerable patients, extorting large sums of money from them, and conducting the illegal transplants in private hospitals.

Furthermore, the suspects were also allegedly involved in a serious fraudulent activity -- preparing fake tissue-matching reports to facilitate the illegal kidney transplants.

Initial findings suggest that the operation is more widespread, with "several other individuals and facilitators" involved in the "heinous activity." Authorities have indicated that further arrests are anticipated following interrogation of detained suspects.

The FIA has issued a public appeal, urging citizens to immediately report any information regarding the illegal trade or transplantation of human organs.