Jakarta. The Indonesian Military has thwarted a human kidney trafficking syndicate involving several individuals attempting to depart from Juanda Airport in Surabaya to New Delhi, India on Saturday.

According to Colonel Dani Achnisundani, Commander of the Juanda Naval Airbase, the case was uncovered during an immigration inspection of 31-year-old Indonesian citizen AFH, who claimed he was traveling to New Delhi, India, to treat his wife for a skin condition.

AFH was scheduled to fly from Surabaya to Kuala Lumpur and then connect to flight OD-205 from Kuala Lumpur to New Delhi.

"However, immigration officers discovered evidence of a planned kidney transplant during an inspection of AFH's documents," Dani told Beritabali.com on Wednesday.

The documents on AFH’s phone revealed consultations with urology specialists and a kidney transplant expert, as well as conversations linked to a kidney trafficking transaction in India.

Following further investigation, five individuals were identified as being involved: AFH, along with AW, 28, MBA. 29, RA, 29, and NIA, 28, all Indonesian citizens. Authorities discovered the syndicate planned to sell a kidney for Rp 600 million ($38,000).

"Immigration officers gathered the five individuals for further questioning at the Class I Special Immigration Office in Surabaya," Dani said.

The suspects were handed over to the East Java Police for further investigation, and authorities are working with the East Java Police's General Criminal Investigation Directorate to uncover a larger network.

The five suspects face charges under the Health Law, which carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison or a fine of up to Rp 2 billion.

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