3 arrested in illegal kidney transplant ring

Gang took organs from live donors then sold them to foreign clients

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updated 3:25 p.m. ET June 25, 2008

ATHENS, Greece - Police in Athens say they have arrested three Greek women on suspicion of involvement in an illegal kidney transplant ring based in India.

The suspects, who include a doctor, allegedly talked Greek patients into having kidney transplants in India, using organs from live donors.

Police say all three belonged to a ring allegedly headed by Indian doctor Amit Kumar that sold kidneys to mostly foreign clients — sometimes from unwilling laborers held at gunpoint.

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The gang carried out transplants for at least 46 Greeks over the past ten years, and at least 10 died from post-operation infections, police said Wednesday.

Patients paid the gang more than $70,000 each, police say. The suspects were arrested Tuesday.

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