Police on Tuesday arrested ten people on suspicion of human and organ trafficking. According to suspicions, the ring of traffickers ran a network of organ trafficking and smuggling, matching donors with those who require urgent transplants.

Transplant operations were allegedly carried out abroad while those who were promised large amounts of cash for their organs were defrauded, according to police.

"This ring exploited the distress of people both donors and those who needed organs," a police spokesman said.

The investigation began after foreign police forces contacted the Israel police with intelligence about the network and its activities abroad and sought out Israeli assistance in taking down the ring. All suspects will appear at the Rishon Lezion Magistrate´s court Wednesday morning.

The suspicions also include grievous bodily harm and tax offenses. The investigation was lead by the Lahav 443 national police unit in cooperation with the tax authority. (© 1995-2011, The Jerusalem Post 05/23/12)