Police in Nepal have arrested five men in connection with a kidney- smuggling racket allegedly luring poor people to hospitals in India to have their kidneys removed and sold , a police official said Monday.

Among the five men, who are in their late 20s and early 40 s , three were arrested in Chitwan district in south -central Nepal and one each in the capital Kathmandu and neighbouring Rasuwa district , said Prabhu Dhakal , a deputy superintendent of police in Chitwan .

The suspects were fined 50, 000 Nepali rupees ( 456 dollars) to 100 , 000 Nepali rupees for finding donors who were lured into smuggling with false promises, he added .

“The smugglers made the victims undergo medical tests in Kathmandu and sent them to India for transplant, ” Dhakal said .

The local police in Chitwan were spurred into action after a potential victim , who was taken to India for transplant, escaped and lodged a complaint .
Under Nepalese laws, only relatives are allowed to donate kidneys , but smugglers take advantage of the country ’ s porous border with India where the organs are harvested .

If convicted, the five each face a jail sentence of up to 10 years and a fine of 200, 000 Nepali rupees