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Israeli man arrested for smuggling human embryos in Northern Cyprus

Sunday, 24 May 2026 7:28 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 24 May 2026 7:28 AM ]

Ercan International Airport in Turkish-controlled Northern Cyprus. (File photo)

Northern Cyprus authorities have arrested an Israeli man attempting to smuggle four human embryos out of the country.

The Israeli man was arrested at Gate 8 security checkpoint of the Ercan International Airport last Tuesday after he was found carrying the four human embryos sealed in test tubes inside a specialized transport container labelled “Life Parcel.”

He was arrested just moments before boarding a flight bound for Mexico via Istanbul.

Prosecutors, who are investigating the matter, are treating the attempt as a case of international embryo trafficking.

Northern Cyprus authorities also raided a local medical clinic and arrested two local residents at the center, the manager and a physician.

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Three Israeli-American brothers are on trial in the United States accused of running a sex trafficking and rape network.

Investigators say the embryos were taken from a fertility center in Lefkoşa.

The three suspects are accused of attempting to smuggle human embryos out of Northern Cyprus, violating laws governing the transplantation of human cells, tissues and organs.

Investigators are also focusing on the suspected smuggling route, most flights from Ercan Airport in Northern Cyprus travel to Turkey, mainly Istanbul.

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