Police in Japan arrested three people Tuesday, including a former executive of a now-defunct nonprofit organization that supported patients of incurable diseases, on suspicion of illegally brokering an overseas organ transplant case for fees.

The three were arrested by a joint investigation team of Tokyo¡¯s Metropolitan Police Department and the police departments of Aichi and Hyogo prefectures for suspected violations of Japan¡¯s organ transplant law.

It was the first time for Japanese police to take action against suspected organ transplant mediation for fees, according to the MPD.