HCM CITY: The Investigation Police Agency of HCM City on Monday (Aug 17) night announced it had initiated legal proceedings against 11 individuals across three cases of trading in human body parts, which is an offence under Article 154 of the Penal Code.
The investigation showed there are three key figures in the ring, who are 37-year-old Pham Do Dang Khoa from the southern city Dong Nai, 32-year-old Pham Thi My Ha from the central province Gia Lai and 36-year-old Cao Thi Du from the southern province Vinh Long.
Since July, these suspects used personal connections and joined social media groups related to kidney donation and transplantation to identify potential buyers and sellers, and connected them for kidney sales disguised as donations to earn illegal profit.
Once contacted by interested buyers, they would quote a price of VNĐ1.4–1.5 billion (US$53,000–57,000) for a kidney transplant, then find a seller with compatible health indicators.
For sellers, they found individuals facing financial hardship and in need of money, negotiated to purchase their kidneys at a price lower than the amount agreed upon with the buyers with an aim to pocket the difference.
Group members who successfully sourced a seller and finalised a transaction could receive a referral fee of VNĐ50 million, while those assigned to escort the seller and buyer to medical examinations and tests, monitor results, and assist with procedures were paid VNĐ10 million per successful case.
To conceal the illegal transactions, the suspects coached the buyers and sellers on describing the transplants as donations to doctors, medical staff and legal consultants, including fabricated details about their relationships, the reasons and motives for the donations.
They also assisted in preparing the necessary documentation for the transplants.
After deducting expenses – such as the cost of purchasing kidneys, medical examinations, testing, travel, accommodation, document processing, and payments to group members – the three group leaders pocketed the remaining profit.
The eight other suspects include 31-year-old Pham Nhat from Ca Mau Province, 35-year-old Huynh Thi Thuy Van from Khanh Hoa Province and 35-year-old To Minh Trung from Vinh Long Province.
They also include five HCM City residents: 38-year-old Nguyen Tan Dat from Phuoc Long Ward, 31-year-old Le Ba Huy from Binh Loi Trung Ward, 31-year-old Nguyen Hoang Quoc Thai from Dat Do Commune, 33-year-old Ngo Thuy Tuong Vy from Phu Lam Ward, and 61-year-old Cao Huu Dong from Hoa Hung Ward.
Further investigations are underway. - Vietnam News/ANN
