A massive racket involving the sale of kidneys has been unearthed in the heart of Gurgaon after a joint team of the Uttar Pradesh Police and the Gurgaon Police raided a house in the city’s Sector 22 late tonight. Gurgaon Police Commissioner Mohinder Lal said that as many as 450 to 500 people — most of them being labourers — could have been operated upon.

Two people, including a doctor, Upendra, and a middle-man, have been arrested. A surgeon, Jeevan, and the alleged mastermind, Amit, are absconding, police said. Based on information obtained from those arrested, another raid was in progress at a house in DLF Phase 1 at 1 am today.

According to Commissioner Lal, the UP Police informant told them that “the labourers were paid between Rs 50,000 and 75,000 to keep their surgeries under wraps.” And that each kidney was later sold by doctors to patients for anything between Rs 8 and 10 lakh.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Munzil Saini from Moradabad said that the UP Police were tipped off about the organ trade in Gurgaon after a middleman was arrested in Meerut earlier this week.

On Thursday night, the ACP, accompanied by DCP Rakesh Arya, raided a house and rescued three persons who had recently been operated upon. All of them have been admitted to the Gurgaon Civil Hospital. Two others, Sanjay and Ajay, who were awaiting operation have also been rescued, police said.

These two are said to have told the police that they were promised a masonry contract. Upendra reportedly told them a check-up was needed since they were being “considered for a Government job.”