11 arrested for organ trafficking between Syria and Egypt

A group of 11 people has been arrested for alleged organ trafficking between Syria and Egypt, Syrian media reported Monday.

The group is thought to be responsible for trafficking organs from over 150 people in Syria over the past year alone, al-Watan newspaper reported.

The group is reportedly led by a 26-year-old woman known as Fadia, who coordinated organ trafficking from slum areas in the Syrian city of Aleppo and organ buyers in Cairo, DPA reported.

Fadia allegedly organized travel for donors to Cairo, where they would sell one of their kidneys to patients from Gulf Arab states for meagre amounts of money.

Two members of the trafficking group are believed to be based in Cairo. Syria has issued a request to Interpol for their arrest.