VietNamNet Bridge – A 29-year-old man in Hanoi was recently arrested on suspicion of running a kidney trading ring, local police said yesterday.

Nguyen Duc Thang, 29 years old, from Hanoi, was arrested on charges of trading human organs. — Handout photo from Long Bien District’ police

Late in November, after being informed of suspicious activities from tenants who were likely from other provinces and staying at a rented apartment on Ngoc Lam Street in Long Bien District, the police decided to investigate.

When police raided the apartment, they found eight tenants who said they were all awaiting kidney extraction operations.

The apartment was rented under the name of Nguyen Duc Thang, a resident from the rural district of Ung Hoa in suburban Hanoi, who police believe is the organiser of the kidney trading ring.

Police searched the apartment and found an airsoft gun, 200 bullets and three knives.

According to police, Thang previously sold one of his kidneys to a transplant patient at the Viet Nam-Germany Hospital in Hanoi for VND250 million (US$10,800).

Afterwards, other people contacted him to try and find others willing to sell their kidneys and vice versa, which prompted Thang to act as the intermediary and collect commissions from successful transactions.

Thang would guide the prospective kidney seller through the paperwork and a physical examination at the Military Hospital 103.

If the sellers’ health conditions were good enough, a verbal agreement would be made where they agree to receive VND250-270 million for a kidney.

Thang would then sell the kidney to the interested buyer for VND260-310 million apiece, earning the difference.

Thang confessed to police that he had facilitated about 15 transactions.

Long Bien police have started legal proceedings in the case, charging Thang with the crime of trading of human organs.  

Source: VNS