Costa Rica: Doctor Arrested and Several Hospitals Raided in Organ Trafficking Investigation

On June 18, 2013 Teletica reported on a series of police raids on various public and private hospitals in Costa Rica, as part of an investigation related to organ trafficking. Dr. Mora Palma, who works in the nephrology department at of Calderón Guardia Hospital, was arrested during the police operation.

On May 27, the Mexican daily El Universal published a report which identified Costa Rica as a destination for the business of organ trafficking, under the guise of medical tourism. In Costa Rica only three private medical centers perform organ transplants. According to the Ministry of Health, in 2011 46 of these procedures were performed, while in 2012 there were 34 such procedures. Read Article