29 August 2026, 12:42
Black transplant surgeons transported tissue from deceased individuals by train from Chernivtsi to Odesa
Ця стаття також доступна українською
Photo: Press Office of the National Police of Ukraine
In Bukovina, law enforcement officials uncovered a scheme involving the illegal removal and sale of organs and tissues from deceased individuals. Some of the biological materials, including corneas, were shipped to buyers via the Chernivtsi–Odesa train.
According to Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, the scheme was organized by officials at the Chernivtsi Regional Pathological Anatomy Bureau. Among the suspects are the head of the institution, two pathologists, and a lab technician.
According to law enforcement officials, skin, bones, tendons, corneas, and other tissues were removed from the bodies of the deceased. These were then transferred to companies that manufacture bioimplants for use in surgery and dentistry.
Investigators determined that the collected anatomical materials were transported to recipients by rail. They were placed in containers with a refrigerant.
Law enforcement officers documented the transfer of ten boxes containing biomaterials. In one instance, corneas were shipped by train along the Chernivtsi–Odesa route.
According to the investigation, official cooperation with the companies was formalized through agreements on “scientific and medical cooperation.” The transfer of tissues was described as the supply of raw materials for the manufacture of bioimplants.
However, the bureau did not have a license to practice medicine in the field of transplantology. According to law enforcement, there were no contracts at all with some of the recipients.
According to investigators, relatives were offered free embalming or body storage, as well as discounts on other services. At the same time, they were allegedly not informed about the true extent of the tissue removal and its subsequent sale.
Law enforcement officials also documented cases where relatives refused to give consent, yet the tissues were harvested anyway.
In one instance, consent was given to an employee of a geriatric nursing home who had been caring for the deceased. At the same time, her relatives were handling the funeral arrangements, and they were not asked about the removal of the tissue.
Payment for these services was deposited into the account of the forensic pathology office. The payments were documented via acceptance and transfer forms.
According to the investigation, participants in the scheme received additional cash each month through currency exchange offices. The money was distributed among the participants based on each person’s role and the amount of materials seized.
As the National Police added, on August 28, law enforcement officers conducted 18 simultaneous searches. These searches took place at the suspects’ residences, in vehicles, in the offices of the forensic pathology bureau, and at the premises of a company with which the bureau collaborated.
All four suspects were detained in accordance with Article 615 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.
They were notified of the charges against them. Law enforcement officials filed a motion with the court requesting that they be held in pretrial detention as a preventive measure.
