Woman and man charged with plotting to traffic child to harvest organs in UK

23 June 2022, 10:56 | Updated: 23 June 2022, 12:42

A woman and a man from Nigeria have been charged with planning to traffic a child to the UK to harvest their organs.

Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55, and Ike Ekweremadu, 60, both of Nigeria, have both been charged by the Metropolitan Police following a specialist operation.

They have both been remanded in custody and will appear at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

The Metropolitan Police said a child has been safeguarded and is receiving support.

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Organ harvesting is a surgical procedure that removes organs or tissues for reuse, typically for organ transplantation.

The investigation was launched after detectives were alerted to potential offences under modern slavery legislation in May 2022, the force said.