KOLKATA, July 28 -- West Bengal health department officials on Tuesday searched six private blood banks across the state over suspicions that they sold blood outside West Bengal over the past six months in violation of regulations.

The raids were held in Kolkata, Howrah, East Burdwan, West Burdwan and North Dinajpur districts.

Bengal health minister Dr Sharadwat Mukherjee told reporters that the investigation against a suspected inter-state racket started last week.

"We ordered an investigation after records collected from various private blood banks showed that they organised donation camps but did not disclose the actual amount of the collected blood to the blood transfusion council, which is mandatory. The undocumented blood was sol...