#158: How Criminal Networks Make A Killing From The Organ Trade With Dr Seán Columb

Many listeners were fascinated by an earlier episode about China’s illegal organ harvesting, so I wanted to dig a bit deeper into the organ trade, and speak with Dr Seán Columb – the author of “Trading Life: Organ Trafficking, Illicit Networks, and Exploitation.” Dr Columb is a Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Liverpool and a research advocate for trafficking survivors. His book examines how the organ trade fits into the anti-trafficking framework, its link to organised crime, and the wider political economy.

In this episode, Dr Columb shares the motivations behind organ trafficking, the demand for healthy kidneys, and how illegally harvested organs are transported across borders. 

“Trading Life: Organ Trafficking, Illicit Networks, and Exploitation” is available to purchase at https://www.combinedacademic.co.uk/9781503612556/trading-life/ Use discount code CSV2020TL to receive 30% off.