Operation against illegal reproductive cell trade: Number of detentions increased to 44

The investigation launched by the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office to prevent illegal breeding trade and capture the suspects continues.

While 39 suspects who were detained following the operation within the scope of the investigation were being processed at the police station, 5 more suspects were caught in the ongoing work. Thus, the total number of detainees became 44.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Istanbul Police Department Anti-Immigrant Smuggling and Border Crossings Branch Directorate teams initiated work to prevent illegal reproductive trade and capture the suspects under the coordination of the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. After evaluating 2 separate reports, the teams determined that a doctor sent women to in vitro fertilization centers in Cyprus to have their eggs removed.

The teams discovered that the organizers, who bought women's ovaries for between 60 and 80 euros each, sold them to the in vitro fertilization center for around 100 euros, thus creating a money traffic of approximately 2 million euros.

The teams determined that Hacer T, one of the organizers, took photos and videos of the women and showed them to those who wanted ovaries, and that the woman's lover, a former pharmacist, provided the drugs to be used in the procedures.

The teams revealed that those who wanted to have children and applied this route asked for "blonde hair, blue eyes" genes and received the answer "we can find any kind, we will find them immediately", and determined that female donors between the ages of 22-33 went to TRNC, Albania and Georgia a total of 811 times.

Following the completion of the work, the teams, based in Istanbul, organized simultaneous operations in Ankara, Izmir, Adana, Antalya, Tekirdağ, Giresun, Aydın, Edirne, Kocaeli, Sakarya, Şanlıurfa, Karaman and Muğla and detained 39 suspects.