India's NIA Uncovers International Organ Trade Network in Iran, Linked to Kerala Health Club

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In a shocking revelation, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has revealed that a health club in Kerala was used as a front to traffic people to Iran for organ harvesting. According to an affidavit filed by the NIA in a court, the accused, Madhu Jayakumar, and his associates, collected money through a bank account in the name of Stemma Club, using it to fund the illicit trade. Jayakumar, who had been living in Iran, was arrested upon his return to India on November 7. The NIA court granted his custody from November 12 to November 19, during which time the agency claimed to have uncovered the extent of the network's activities. The affidavit stated that the accused trafficked people to Iran, inducing them with money and later threatening them, forcing them to donate their kidneys in life-threatening situations. The network, which operated across multiple states in India, including Telangana, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, charged up to ₹50 lakh per transplant, with the money being laundered through various means, including crypto assets and landed properties. Sources within the NIA revealed that Jayakumar was the mastermind behind the international organ trade network, with the health club in Kerala serving as a hub for the illicit activities. The agency has attached the bank account and other properties linked to the accused, with transactions amounting to ₹6 crore being traced in a bank account operated by one of the co-accused. The investigation, which began with the interception of a suspect at the Kochi airport in May 2024, has led to the arrest of several individuals, including Jayakumar, Sabith Nasar, and Sajith Shyam. The NIA's probe has helped to uncover the scope of the network's operations in Iran, including the number of people who underwent organ transplant surgeries abroad.