RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi police on Thursday successfully uncovered an illegal organ trafficking operation after a raid in the jurisdiction of Rawat police station.
The operation, which was initiated after a distress call reporting screams, led to the discovery of a secret operation theater located inside a bungalow, where illegal organ extraction procedures were being carried out.
During the raid, police rescued a man identified as Hanan Khan, who had been lured to the location under the pretext of a job offer. Upon arriving at the premises, Hanan was sedated, and when he regained consciousness, he discovered that one of his kidneys had been removed. Medical equipment and drugs used for organ extraction were recovered from the bungalow.
Four suspects were arrested during the operation, but six others managed to flee the scene. Police have registered a case and are continuing their investigation to apprehend the remaining individuals involved in the illegal operation. The suspects arrested include Akif Aftab, Naseem Butt, Rakesh Masih, and Shawn Masih.
This discovery follows a series of similar operations in the region. In 2020, the Punjab Human Organ Transplantation Authority (PHOTA) had busted another illegal organ trafficking gang in Lahore. The gang, which was also operating in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, had been targeting vulnerable individuals by luring them with false promises of employment and subsequently removing their kidneys for sale.
In a related incident on August 3, Airport Police arrested four individuals involved in a kidney transplant racket in a private housing society. A patient, found restrained on a stretcher, was rescued during the raid.
The police spokesperson confirmed that a broader operation is underway to track down and arrest other members of the network. The authorities have vowed to continue their efforts to eradicate illegal organ trade activities and protect citizens from such exploitation.
The investigation into these illegal operations underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement in curbing the illegal trade of human organs in the region, with previous raids having led to significant arrests, including doctors and facilitators of the organ trafficking operations.
