Kerala organ trafficking racket operated under guise of medical tourism company, says ED

Kochi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its anti-money laundering investigation into an alleged organ trafficking racket in Kerala, uncovering a highly organised criminal network operating under the facade of a medical tourism company.

The money laundering probe, initiated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), stems from six initial cases registered by the Kerala Police.

Following recent, coordinated raids at nine locations across the state—including several major hospitals—the ED successfully recovered a cache of crucial, incriminating documents and forged papers used by the syndicate to execute the fraud.

Initial findings by the central agency reveal that the racket was masterminded by the chief accused, Muhammed Najeeb K, alongside his partner Rasheeda A A. Operating through their front company, Kallatharas Medical Tourism Private Limited, the duo orchestrated the illicit trade between 2021 and 2026. Utilising a vast network of agents and middlemen, they targeted vulnerable, financially distressed donors, luring them with promised payouts ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. In turn, the syndicate charged organ recipients exorbitant sums between Rs 20 lakh to Rs 35 lakh or more per transplant procedure.

To bypass regulatory legalities, the accused systematically fabricated critical documents. These included fake altruism certificates fake-stamped as issued by the police, recommendation letters from public representatives, identity cards, ration cards and secondary verification proofs.

Investigators established that these forged records were designed and manufactured at Sun Communications DTP Centre and Sign HD Digital Studio at Pallikkara in the Ernakulam district, before being used to facilitate illegal transplant surgeries at prominent local hospitals.

During the searches, investigators seized crucial records detailing the organ transplant surgeries, explicit files on donors and recipients, and paperwork that had been deceptively submitted before the District Level Authorisation Committee to secure legal clearances. The agency also gathered information on immovable properties held by the accused to identify assets purchased using the proceeds of crime.

In a decisive joint move with local police, the ED has officially initiated procedures to freeze the bank accounts of the accused, their associated entities, and the intermediaries involved. The ED is currently collaborating with bank officials to gather exact transaction histories and map out how the illicit funds were transferred, layered and distributed.

Further investigation is underway. The Kerala Police have already arrested several suspects in connection with the racket, including the alleged kingpin, Muhammed Najeeb, who was apprehended in Uttar Pradesh last month.

(With PTI inputs)