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Blood smuggling racket busted, 21 units of blood seized in Bihar’s Kishanganj

ByAditya Nath Jha
Nov 08, 2023 05:14 PM IST

Police are also probing whether blood smuggling is in any way linked with the growing craze for drugs among the youth

Kishanganj: Police have claimed to have busted a gang involved in black marketing of blood and seized 21 bags each containing 300 ml blood besides empty bags from a house in the town area in Bihar’s Kishanganj on Wednesday.

Though the people involved in it managed to escape, police have launched a probe, which will look into the alleged involvement of nursing homes and hospitals in the racket.

“A probe is underway to ascertain all aspects (of the racket) including where it (the blood) was meant to be supplied,” Kishanganj superintendent of police (SP) Inamul Haque Mengnoo said.

He also appealed to the owners of nursing homes and hospitals to inform police if such blood is supplied to their hospitals. “We have also informed it to the drug inspector for further probe,” SP said.

Acting on a tip off, a team of police led by assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Sanjay Yadav and trainee ASI Annu Kumari carried out a raid at a house in Boma Basti under Kishanganj town area and seized 21 units of blood. “We had got a tip about the collection of blood and when we carried out a raid, we recovered 21 bags each containing 300 ml blood,” Yadav said adding “We have identified the people behind the blood smuggling and we’ll soon nab them.”

Blood smuggling and drug craze among youngsters

Police here are also probing whether blood smuggling is in any way linked with the growing craze for drugs among youth and children. “Smack (heroin) has become a new lifestyle chemical drug craze, especially among the youth and children not only in this district but in the whole state,” a police officer said adding “We are probing the seizure of blood from (the) drug angle too.”

He said “Drug addicts can go to any extent for drugs and you can’t rule out the possibility of the black marketing of blood linked with it.”

In 2021, Purnea police had busted a similar blood and plasma smuggling racket and three persons including the mastermind, a staff of a private hospital in Purnea, was arrested. The police had also seized 62 units of blood and plasma from their possession.

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