A man and a woman from Nigeria have been blamed for planning to bring a child to the United Kingdom for organ harvesting, said the police.
Beatrice Ekweremadu, 55, and Ike Ekweremadu, 60, have been charged with plotting to arrange the travel of a young child to the UK to harvest his organs.
The child has been saved, and the Metropolitan Police is working with its associates to provide continued support.
Both the suspects have been held in custody and will be presented at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court.
A probe was launched after the authorities found potential offences under the modern slavery legislation last month. The couple wanted to earn money by selling the child’s healthy organs in black market.
The accused will be presented at the Uxbridge Magistrates Court in London later today.
A Met Police statement stated, “A woman and a man were charged today with plotting to the travel of a child into the UK in order to harvest organs.”
The charges were followed by an investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s Special Crime team.
Ike Ekweremadu, 60, of Nigeria, is levied with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, i.e. organ harvesting.
Similarly, Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55, of Nigeria, is charged with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, particularly organ harvesting.
Further details have not been provided as criminal proceedings are being carried out on the Nigerian couple.
What is Organ Harvesting?
Forced organ harvesting is the unlawful practice of surgically removing a victim’s organs against their will. The organs are then sold on the black market for huge prices for transplantation.
