KIEV, July 25 – Israeli police have uncovered an international network of illegal sales of donor organs at a Kiev private hospital, Deutsche Welle reported on Tuesday. Nine suspects, including leading transplant specialists, have been arrested so far, the report said.

Police traced the criminal grouping through announcements in the Russian language media with proposals to become a kidney donor for a generous fee. According to the investigators, dozens of people responded to the announcements. After medical examinations the volunteers were brought to the private hospital in Kiev where they underwent operations to transplant one of their kidneys to another patient.