Arrest of 7 subjects in kidney buying and selling ring in Hanoi

On September 13, the Criminal Police Department, Ministry of Public Security, said that it had coordinated with Hanoi City Police to fight and destroy a ring of buying and selling human body parts (liver, kidney) that has existed since 2024 in Hanoi.

Previously, implementing Plan No. 388 of the Ministry of Public Security on the implementation of the peak of the attack and suppression of human trafficking crimes, through the work of grasping the situation, the Criminal Police Department discovered a group of subjects with the behavior of buying and selling human body parts (liver, kidney) in Hanoi and other localities led by Pham Van Hung (born in 1983), residing in Bo De ward (Hanoi). The leaders of the Criminal Police Department assigned the Department of Prevention and Investigation of Crimes of Infringement on Personal Identity to establish a special project to combat and destroy.

Based on the documents of the special case, on September 10, the Department of Prevention and Investigation of Crimes Against Personal Identity, the Criminal Police Department presided over and coordinated with the Criminal Police Department, Hanoi City Police to arrest and urgently search the residences of the subjects in the ring in Bo De ward, including: Pham Van Hung, Tran Ngoc Ba (born in 1990), Phung Thi Thao (born in 1984), Le Thanh Thanh (born in 1998), Nguyen Thi Thu Ngan (born in 1991), Pham Thi Ngoc Thuy (born in 1992) and Nguyen Thi Hoa (born in 1989), residing in Viet Hung ward (Hanoi); summoned and worked with those with related rights and obligations.

During the search of the suspects' residences, the police seized many related objects and documents, including many sets of screening and testing records for compatibility indicators of people who wanted to sell their kidneys for kidney transplants. As a result of the investigation, collected documents, evidence and statements from the suspects, the investigation agency determined that many patients being treated for kidney failure had a high demand for buying and selling kidneys for transplants, so Pham Van Hung colluded with Tran Ngoc Ba, Phung Thi Thao, Le Thanh Thanh, Nguyen Thi Thu Ngan, Pham Thi Ngoc Thuy, Nguyen Thi Hoa and a number of other subjects to organize kidney trading brokers for profit.

To find people who want to buy or sell kidneys, the subjects use Facebook social network accounts to post messages saying they need liver or kidney donors, along with contact phone numbers. When they find a buyer, the subjects set a price (about 1.2 billion VND for a kidney), and the buyer is responsible for paying all costs of transplant surgery and testing for the seller.

Once the sellers are found, the subjects take them to hospitals for health checks, assessments, and testing for specific indicators (HLA compatibility index) for transplants. After selecting a pair of buyers and sellers with compatible HLA indexes that ensure conditions for transplants, the subjects instruct the sellers to complete local legal documents and complete medical procedures for the hospital to perform the transplant.

Normally, the subjects pay the seller about 450 million to 550 million VND for 1 kidney (depending on the health condition and blood type of the seller). Right before the transplant, the buyer must transfer the agreed amount to the brokers. Upon receiving the money, the subjects will pay the seller or the seller's relatives, minus the screening costs as well as the post-surgery costs for the seller, the remaining amount of about 450 to 500 million VND will be shared by the subjects.

To avoid detection by the authorities, the subjects frequently changed their residence, mainly using social networks to transact in the buying and selling of human body parts. At the same time, there was an assignment for each subject in the group to take charge of each segment, not allowing buyers and sellers to meet before the transplant. In addition, the subjects rented a house in Bo De ward for those who wanted to sell their kidneys to stay during the screening and preparation for the transplant.

During the investigation, the police agency also clarified that from the beginning of 2024 until now, Pham Van Hung and his accomplices have brokered the sale of kidneys for about 25 to 30 successful transplants at major hospitals in Hanoi.

Currently, the Hanoi City Police Department has issued a decision to temporarily detain a group of suspects including: Pham Van Hung, Tran Ngoc Ba, Phung Thi Thao, Le Thanh Thanh, Nguyen Thi Thu Ngan, Pham Thi Ngoc Thuy, Nguyen Thi Hoa for the act of "Buying and selling human body parts".

In addition, the Criminal Police Department is continuing to coordinate and direct the Hanoi City Police Department to verify, investigate, collect documents, and consolidate evidence to prove the criminal acts of the subjects; expand to clarify all criminal acts of related subjects to strictly handle them according to the law.