Another Arrested In Organ Traffic Case

February 10, 2004

South African police said Tuesday they had arrested a second medical transplant coordinator in connection with a probe into international human organ traffickers, officials said.

South Africa has now arrested six people in the case and accused them of being members of a syndicate that lured Brazilians to a Durban hospital to part with one of their kidneys for around $10,000.

Police spokeswoman Mary Martins-Engelbrecht said 34-year-old Melleney Anzor, a transplant recipient coordinator for a private medical group at the hospital, was arrested Tuesday and granted bail of 30,000 rand ($4,400).

Police say they believe the recipients were mostly Israelis, drawn to South Africa for its excellent hospitals.

Brazilian police said in December they had nabbed 11 people and broken up a ring that arranged for Brazilians to sell their organs in South Africa.

Also Monday, four of the other accused including 71-year-old Dr Jeff Kallmeyer, who specializes in post-operative transplant care, and Lindy Dickson, another transplants coordinator, appeared in court in Durban.

The case was postponed until July 13.

The remaining suspect, thought to be a Hebrew-English translator, is due in court on February 18.

Copyright © 2004 Reuters.

This article posted March 6, 2004.