Kerala Organ Trafficking Case: ED Raids 9 Locations Linked to Private Hospitals, Probes Multi-State Organ Trade Network

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday executed coordinated searches at nine locations across Kerala, targetting high-profile private hospitals and private residences linked to an expansive, multi-state organ trafficking ring. The anti-money laundering agency is tracking a massive trail of illegal financial commissions and forged documentation used to bypass rigorous medical transplantation laws.

The agency's simultaneous operations spanned six districts: Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, and Kasaragod. Notable among the targets were Kochi’s Medical Trust Hospital and Lakeshore Hospital, alongside several properties belonging to suspected middlemen. ED Raids 10 Locations in Keralam's Kochi in Human Organ Trade Case.

Investigators are currently scrutinizing bank accounts and money trails connected to the syndicate. ED sources revealed that the probe focuses heavily on financial kickbacks pocketed by hospital staff, agents, and intermediaries at every step of the transplant pipeline—from identifying vulnerable donors to securing forged approvals.

The central agency's intervention escalates a wider criminal case initially cracked open by the Kollam City Police. The racket was allegedly masterminded by 53-year-old Mohammed Najeeb, a Kasaragod native arrested in Ghaziabad earlier this year following an intensive month-long manhunt. According to case files, Najeeb operated a front company called Kallatras Medical Tourism Pvt Ltd. Through this firm, the syndicate allegedly exploited financially distressed individuals, orchestrating up to 40 illegal kidney transplants over the last five years.

To bypass the stringent checks mandated under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), the network systematically fabricated official documents. These included forged kinship certificates, fake medical tourism registries, and even counterfeit recommendation letters issued in the names of elected representatives. Delhi Police Bust Major Newborn Baby Trafficking Racket; 12 Arrested, 5 Infants Rescued.

The financial scale of the racket highlights a steep profit margin for the intermediaries. Investigators suspect desperate recipients were charged as much as ₹20 lakh per organ transplant. In contrast, vulnerable donors received only between ₹5 lakh and ₹10 lakh, leaving the remaining illicit surplus to be distributed as commissions among facilitators.

Local police initially uncovered the network after arresting local agents Sreeja (40) and Sudheer (31), alongside a donor named Vinod. Digital evidence seized from the suspects pointed directly to an illegal transplant operation conducted in Ernakulam, widening the investigation. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has since taken several individuals into custody, including Najeeb’s wife, Rasheeda, and multiple key intermediaries.

With the ED launching its parallel money laundering investigation, federal sleuths are now focused on mapping the total volume of criminal proceeds. The agency is actively determining if these illegal multi-million rupee funds were laundered and integrated into legitimate regional businesses or financial institutions.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 19, 2026 09:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).