Latvians selling their kidneys online

November 5, 2009 by Infowars Ireland

Residents of Latvia are posting offers on the internet to sell their internal organs. Mountains of debt, outstanding loans from banks and leasing companies plus the prospect of losing their apartments and cars are driving them to desperate measures.

Numerous ads have been published on Latvian Internet sites by young people offering to sell their own kidneys. Prices range from several thousand to several tens of thousands of dollars.

Most have lost their jobs, amassed huge debts, and will soon be homeless if they don’t make repayments. They need money, and selling their kidneys is a way to quickly get a large sum, reports RIA Novosti.

It is worth noting that selling your own organs is not prohibited by law in Latvia. According to Latvian law, the kidney can be removed and transplanted at a transplant center, or in the morgue soon after death, but it is illegal to perform unauthorised operations.

“The Latvian economy is in a state of clinical death, and we have only three or four minutes to revive the body,” – said President of the Bank of Latvia Ilmars Rimšēvičs, noting that steps needed to revive the lending process in the country had become impossible due to the world financial crisis.

Latvia is experiencing a severe economic crisis. Many companies have gone bankrupt in the republic. The unemployment rate now exceeds 19%. Thousands of people are now without a livelihood. In order to avoid bankruptcy Latvia is seeking assistance from international financial institutions which have promised to give the country loans up to 2011.

Source: www.dni.ru/economy/2009/11/4/178604.html