Organ Trafficking - Who Are The Targets

$5,000 may not sound like a lot of money for one of your organs, but for some people, it is an unimaginable amount. Needless to say, this means that traffickers focus on the most vulnerable members of society. It’s not only easier to persuade these people to part with their organs but also to underpay or steal from them entirely. These poorer, more vulnerable victims will not have the means or government assistance to ensure that any transaction negotiated is carried out fairly.

One of the clearest examples of this comes in the form of a Spanish woman.[4] In 2012, the unnamed woman posted online, advertising her kidney after speaking to a doctor in Morocco, but she soon updated it to also sell off one lung, part of her liver, and her corneas. Despite facing a 12-year prison sentence if caught, the disabled single mother was desperate to find the money she needed to support her daughter. The reason she was short on cash was that her disability payments didn’t cover the rent of her house, which was owned by an abusive ex-boyfriend. Such a case perfectly illustrates the very real dangers of organ trafficking in what are seen as otherwise safe, respectable countries.

Supply And Demand

Needless to say, not all organs are valued equally. The price of an organ will depend on how susceptible it is to failure, how easily it can be removed and transplanted, and whether or not people can survive donating it. The overwhelming majority of organ transplants, both illegal and legal, are of kidneys. This is because kidneys are easily damaged by lifestyle choices such as drinking, but they’re also easily sourced, as people can donate one without impacting their quality of life. This puts the price of kidneys at roughly $150,000.



Livers fetch a similar price, since although they are in less demand, only a portion of the liver needs to be donated, and both the donor’s and recipient’s portions will regenerate within eight weeks. Bones and ligaments will generally set you back about $5,000, while a new cornea costs about $20,000. Unsurprisingly, the most expensive organs are the lungs and the heart, which can cost up to $300,000 and upwards of $500,000, respectively.

Article by ListVerse