Spanish police today revealed they have arrested five people who stand accused of offering cash to poor immigrants to buy a liver for transplant.
This is the first trafficking scheme of this kind uncovered in Spain.
In a police statement a spokesman said: "Five people were detained for offering 40,000 Euros to immigrants without resources so that they would offer themselves for a liver transplant... the first attempted sale of organs detected in Spain.
"A rich Lebanese citizen who needed a transplant travelled to Spain and tried unsuccessfully to have the operation" the police said.”
The man allegedly approached several immigrants as potential donors in Spain.
"The illegal transplant did not end up being carried out thanks to our legislation and the Spanish system of transplant controls, which prevent the buying and selling of organs."
Police gave no further details but said they would brief reporters in Madrid later on today (Wednesday).
Despite health spending cuts over recent years in Spain, down in part to a double recession, the country carries out more organ transplants than any other country in the world.
The story comes in the wake of news that surgeons in Spain carried out a record total of 4,279 transplants in 2013, according to the state National Transplant Organisation in January.
It said the figure was partly thanks to a high number of donors.
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