This little story seems to be currently doing the rounds. I have seen no hard evidence of it being true, though.
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Subject: Fwd: Travelers BEWARE!!!!!!
Neighbors, beware!
Dear Friends,
I wish to warn you about a new crime ring that is targeting business travelers. This ring is well organized, well funded, has very skilled personnel, and is currently in most major cities and recently very active in New Orleans.
The crime begins when a business traveler goes to a lounge for a drink at the end of the work day.
A person in the bar walks up as they sit alone and offers to buy them a drink. The last thing the traveler remembers until they wake up in a hotel room bath tub, their body submerged to their neck in ice, is sipping that drink. There is a note taped to the wall instructing them not to move and to call 911. A phone is on a small table next to the bathtub for them to call.
The business traveler calls 911 who have become quite familiar with this crime.
The business traveler is instructed by the 911 operator to very slowly and carefully reach behind them and feel if there is a tube protruding from their lower back. The business traveler finds the tube and answers, "Yes." The 911 operator tells them to remain still, having already sent paramedics to help. The operator knows that both of the business traveler's kidneys have been harvested.
This is not a scam or out of a science fiction novel, it is real.
It is documented and confirmable. If you travel or someone close to you travels, please be careful.
Regards,
Jerry
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From: Patty
Yes, this does happen. My sister-in-law works with a lady that this happened to her son's neighbor who lives in Houston. The only "good" thing to this whole story is the fact that the people doing this horrible crime are very in tune to what complications can happen afterwards because of the details precautions they take the time to set up before leaving the room.
The word from my sister-in-law is that the hospital in Las Vegas (yes, Vegas) prior to transferring him back to Houston stated that these people know exactly what they are doing. The incision, etc. was exact and clean. They use sterile equipment etc. and the hospital stated that other than the fact that the victim looses a kidney there has not been any reports of other complications due to non-sterile, etc. tactics that were used.
Please be careful.
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From: Kathy
Sadly, this is very true. My husband is a Houston Firefighter/EMT and they have received alerts regarding this crime ring. It is to be taken very seriously. The daughter of a friend of a fellow firefighter had this happen to her.
Skilled doctor's are performing these crimes! (which, btw, have been highly noted in the Las Vegas area)
Additionally, the military has received alerts regarding this.
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From: Larry
I doubt it takes anyone by surprise, but shortly before the Superbowl New Orleans experienced a wave of Kidney Harvesting stories. To my knowledge, none made the broadcast media. I postulate that the major spreaders of this particular variant of myth are nervous spouses of those who travel for a living. Another myth debunked (locally anyway) with the help of your page and some others like it. Regards to all.
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From: Dave M.
Date: 6 Sep 1998
About your storys about the people getting their kidneys removed is true because someone I know the works at a hospital in Halifax Nova Scotia That happened to him and he is waiting for a kidney or 2 so they are true so just because they don't sound real just think about how much kidneys go for on the black market