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5 Doctors Charged in Organ Trafficking Scheme

Surgeons in South Africa accused of illegal operations for profit

By bewilderbeast, Newser User

Posted Sep 16, 2010 9:00 AM CDT | Promoted on Newser Sep 16, 2010 3:05 PM CDT

(User Submitted) – New charges have been filed in an alleged organ trafficking conspiracy first exposed five years ago. Poor Brazilians and Romanians were reportedly paid an average of $6,000 for their kidneys, which were then illegally transplanted into rich Israelis by South African doctors at plush private hospitals. Israelis who gave their kidneys as part of the scheme got $20,000.

South African authorities tried to bring a case against alleged syndicate kingpin Ilan Perry years ago, but that went cold. Perry has now turned state witness, resulting in a renewed case in which five doctors and Richard Friedland, head of the country's top private hospital group Netcare, and the St Augustine Hospital in Durban are being charged. Prosecutors say 109 illegal operations were conducted between 2001 and 2003. More details at AFP and the Guardian.

A stock photo of surgeons at work. (Shutterstock)

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Showing 3 of 5 comments

finkster

Sep 16, 2010 5:59 PM CDT

They did a film like this years ago called "Coma" where they just stored patients to use their body parts.

Shawn_The_Bohn

Sep 16, 2010 3:21 PM CDT

It was only yesterday, the day of my birth, that I was thinking Islamics were the only bad guys in the Middle East. At least they had the sense not to use Palestinians, but then they probably don't pay them, they just pin them down and cut out whatever they need.

crafter67

Sep 16, 2010 2:33 PM CDT

$26,000 is pretty cheap for a new kidney - even illegal operations are cheaper outside the US - that will tell you how broken our system really is...

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5 Doctors Charged in Organ Trafficking Scheme

Surgeons in South Africa accused of illegal operations for profit

organ harvesting • organ transplants • South Africa

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