Health chief linked to organ gang

The indictment is the starkest revelation of the extent of organised crime in Kosovo since the Balkan country declared independence in 2008.

In the document, EU prosecutor Jonathan Ratel said "the organised criminal group" had trafficked people into the country for the purpose of removing "human organs for transplant to other persons". The investigation found that some 20 foreign nationals "were recruited with false promises of payments" in 2008.

"These victims were recruited in other countries, then transported and received at Pristina Airport through the false promise of payments for the removal of their kidneys," Mr Ratel said in the indictment.

He said victims were promised up to 12,500 while recipients were required to pay between 69,000 and 85,600 for the harvested organs.

According to the indictment, the victims came from Moldova, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkey and lived in "extreme poverty or acute financial distress".

Five Kosovo nationals, including Ilir Rrecaj, a former senior health ministry official, have been charged with five counts, ranging from trafficking in persons to unlawful exercise of medical activity and abuse of power. None of the suspects is in custody.

Turkish doctor Yusuf Sonmez and Moshe Harel, an Israeli citizen – are listed as wanted by Interpol. Sonmez is the subject of several criminal proceedings in other countries, including Turkey, for human trafficking and removal of organs, according to the indictment. The prosecution said Kosovo surgeon Lutfi Dervishi "acted as leader" of the criminal group along with Sonmez and Harel. Dervishi attended a medical conference in Istanbul in 2006 and asked for someone who could perform organ transplants. He was contacted by Sonmez six months later, the prosecution said.

Dervishi and Sonmez then carried out the operations in the private medical clinic Medicus in the capital Pristina, managed by Dervishi's son Arban, who is also charged.

Harel was involved in "identifying, recruiting and transporting victims" and "ensuring the delivery of cash payments by electronic bank transfer" before surgery, the indictment said.

Two other doctors, Sokol Hajdini and Driton Jilta, are also charged.

In 2008, investigators closed down the private health clinic where the doctors worked as part of the initial investigation.

Police launched a raid triggered by suspicions that a Turkish man had sold his kidney to an Israeli recipient. Rrecaj was sacked from his government post after the raids. The suspects denied the accusations when initially detained in 2008.

Soon after the raid, the Belgrade-based daily newspaper Blic claimed Dervishi was linked to allegations that members of the Kosovo Liberation Army kidnapped Serb civilians and killed them for their organs which they later sold.

The allegations of the trade stemmed from a book by former United Nations War Crimes tribunal prosecutor Carla Del Ponte who claimed organ harvesting took place in Albania's remote north.

Subsequent investigations did not substantiate the claims.

The indictment did not say whether any of the victims – who are still to be interviewed – actually received any money.

The documents have been filed in a local court, according to EU officials. They said the prosecution could still add the names of other suspects to the indictment and details of their alleged crimes.

A preliminary hearing is expected to be held by the end of the month.