Traffic with ovules at Sabyc clinic in Bucharest.

UPDATE Traffic with ovules at Sabyc clinic in Bucharest. Three persons have been detained. Israeli Foreign Affairs minister tries to have them released

de Ella Moroiu, transl/adapt. C.B. HotNews.ro

Luni, 20 iulie 2009, 11:40 English | Bucharest

UPDATE 2 Bucharest Tribunal issued three preventive arrest mandates in the case of ovules traffic. Sabyc clinic owner Harry Mironescu, his son Yair Miron, medical resident, and Cecilia Borzea - responsible for the relationship with the clients - are the tree to momentarily face jail.

Tens of persons are currently heard by the DIICOT prosecutors in a case regarding traffic with ovules. Sabyc clinic doctors, employees and clients have been called by the Investigation Directorate for Organised Crime and Terrorism Offences (Direc?ia de Investigare a Infrac?iunilor de Criminalitate Organizat? ?i Terorism) to explain their actions. It's been ten years now since the clinic fertilises in vitro, without the authorisation of the National Agency for Transplant. Three persons have been detained and 30 more are currently investigated.

UPDATE 2 The decision is not final and can be challenged through appeal. DIICOT prosecutors accuse the three for creating an organised crime group and of setting up human cells traffic to obtain material gain.

According to a DIICOT report, Harry Mironescu set up an organised crime group, acting as gynaecologist and "de facto" head of a clinic in Bucharest. He was supported by his son, Yair Miron, the sole associate of the private clinic, and by his connections with medics in Israel, specialists in assisted reproduction. L. Natan, Z. Genia and other persons have been accused.

Cecilia Borzea was taking care of housing the doctors and the clinics' clients and was responsible for finding young girls willing to undergo treatment and sell their ovocytes. When the Romanian authorities got to the clinic, they found 30 persons ready for the in vitro fertilisation procedures.

UPDATE Israeli Foreign Affairs minister is trying to obtain the release of the three persons detained by DIICOT prosecutors, Romanian TV channel Realitatea TV informs.

Over 60 persons have been heard on Sunday evening, June 19, including donors to have sold ovocytes. The clinic from Ion Mihalache Boulevard in Bucharest has seen searches, which led to documents and computers being retained for investigations, alongside over 130,000 euros. Beside the three detention ordinances, the prosecutors banned two persons from leaving the country.

Couples from abroad, who could not have children, were brought to Romania for vitro insemination. The cost: 10-15,000 euros. Foreign couples would make available extra consistent sums of money that paid for young Romanian women, aged between 18 and 30, for ovules collection.

National Agency for Transplant representatives told Romanian TV channel Realitatea TV reporters that, according to the authority's head, Victor Zota, the clinic has only held authorisations for a week. Romanian Minister of Health could not confirm if the clinic was accredited or not for vitro.

Victor Zota said there has been a law breeching: according to the legislation, any cell transplant is not to be paid for. Despite this, he said that the clinic was well equipped and had foreign specialists. Most of them are aware of the law.

The clinic has been founded by a family of Israeli physicians in 1999. Officially, it performed around 2,000 artificial inseminations so far. The investigations are currently undergoing.

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