Lahore: police arrest leader of kidney trafficking ring

By Uzair Chaudhry

WEB DESK: Police in Raiwind have arrested the ringleader of a human kidney trafficking network, authorities confirmed on Friday.

According to SP Saddar Rana Hussain, the suspect lured innocent citizens with promises of money, often convincing them to travel to a clinic in Islamabad controlled by the gang. Once there, victims were held in unlawful detention for several days before their kidneys were forcibly removed following negotiated “deals.”

Rana Hussain stated that in one case, the accused offered a victim PKR 300,000 in exchange for a kidney. The suspect has now been taken into custody, and police are conducting raids to apprehend other members of the network.

The operation shows the persistent threat of organ trafficking in the region and reflects ongoing law enforcement efforts to dismantle such criminal groups.

The case

A brick kiln labourer from Lahore had alleged that he was abducted and subjected to illegal kidney removal by an organised organ trafficking gang operating between Raiwind and Islamabad, prompting police to recommend the registration of a criminal case.

According to the victim’s statement submitted to Raiwind City police, he was working at Malik Shehzad’s brick kiln when he was approached by individuals identified as “P” and Billi, who allegedly gained his trust and took him to Islamabad. The complainant alleged that his kidney was surgically removed without his informed consent.

The statement named several alleged members of the gang, including Nadir Ali, Rizwan, Riyaz and Rukhsana Bibi. The complainant said the group left Lahore from Thokar Bypass late on December 29, 2025, and reached the Faizabad Interchange in Islamabad early the next morning.

While in Islamabad, the victim said he was taken to a laboratory and multiple medical facilities where ultrasound examinations, blood tests, ECG and CT scans were conducted. He further alleged that he was later blindfolded and transported to an undisclosed location.

The complainant claimed he was shifted to a remote, hilly area where a bungalow-like structure was being used as a makeshift medical facility. He said he was confined in a locked room for five days before undergoing surgery.

According to the statement, the operation was carried out on January 3, 2026, and lasted approximately four hours. The following day, the complainant alleged that he was threatened and warned against disclosing the incident.

He further claimed that he was later dropped back at the brick kiln in Lahore. As his health deteriorated, his relatives admitted him to a private hospital for treatment.

The complainant alleged that the group attempted to silence him by paying Rs280,000. He and his family have sought police protection, citing threats to their lives.

Police officials said the application had been received and that, based on the allegations, offences were made out under Section 365 of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act. The matter has been forwarded for the registration of an FIR and further investigation.