Algeria – The trade in human organs is today one of the most heinous and dangerous organized crimes globally, as it transcends national borders to form complex criminal networks that generate annual revenues estimated at tens of millions of dollars.
This illicit trade feeds on the stark economic disparities between social classes and exploits patients’ desperate need for organ transplants to save their lives, creating a black market that expands in the shadows, far from official oversight.
The legal reality and government efforts in Algeria
In Algeria, international reports, particularly the US State Department’s 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report, highlight sensitive issues related to migrant smuggling, sexual exploitation, and forced labor.
While the report did not list organ trafficking as a widespread domestic phenomenon, it did point to shortcomings in the Algerian government’s capacity to completely eradicate all forms of human trafficking.
Despite the limited efforts made by the state in the areas of investigation and prosecution, the establishment of national monitoring mechanisms, and the development of a national strategy to combat human trafficking in cooperation with international organizations (which is still pending approval), the challenges remain.
The major gap is highlighted by the inadequacy of victim protection services, the lack of effective procedures for identifying and referring them to appropriate shelters, and the continued risk of victims being punished for acts they were forced to commit under pressure from trafficking gangs.
From a legislative standpoint, the Anti-Human Trafficking Act No. 23-04 of 2023 stands out, which explicitly criminalizes sex trafficking and forced labor.
However, observers believe that the lack of explicit provisions regarding “human organ trafficking” in some aspects of this law may leave legal loopholes that traffickers can exploit, even though the purpose of “organ removal” is included in the general framework for combating human trafficking.
The spread and danger of the phenomenon
The organ trade makes no distinction between social classes, but it disturbingly targets the economically vulnerable and undocumented immigrants. Criminal networks exploit extreme poverty and the language and legal barriers these individuals face to recruit them, then harvest their organs and sell them locally or through international networks.
These gangs take advantage of weak oversight and a lack of community awareness to expand their clandestine operations.
Victims of organ trafficking: immigrants and locals
Field reports indicate that sub-Saharan African migrants are the primary victims in Algeria.
They enter Algeria voluntarily in search of a better life, aided by smugglers, only to find themselves later victims of sexual exploitation, forced labor, and, in the worst cases, organ trafficking.
It is not limited to foreigners, but extends to local citizens who are suffering from severe financial hardship, as they are enticed or forced to donate their organs for meager sums, without any legal protection or health care to ensure their safety.
Algeria and the Maghreb region: a triangle of criminal activity
Despite strict legal prohibition in Algeria, the phenomenon persists for structural reasons, the most important of which is the huge global demand for organs such as kidneys and livers compared to the scarcity of voluntary donation.
Desperation and poverty drive individuals to sell their kidneys for seemingly “tempting” sums ranging from $5,000 to $20,000, while brokers and organized networks charge prices ranging from $100,000 to $200,000 for the end beneficiary.
Interpol reports for the period between 2021 and 2024 indicate that the Maghreb region is “relatively active” in this type of crime.
These organized networks extend across borders, especially with Morocco, Libya and West African countries, and sometimes include brokers, doctors and private medical centers operating in secret to facilitate these operations.
Challenges, risks, and legal confrontation
Complete secrecy remains the biggest obstacle for authorities and civil society in assessing the true scale of the organ trade.
The absence of clear regulations and an integrated protection system for victims also makes them afraid to report crimes for fear of deportation or punishment.
However, it should be noted that Algeria has been severely criminalizing these acts for years; they have been included in the Penal Code (Articles 300 bis 16 et seq.) since the 2009 amendments. The penalties can reach life imprisonment if the crime is related to exploiting the victim’s vulnerability, kidnapping, or death.
The modern law 23-04 of 2023 also strengthens the tools to combat human trafficking in all its forms, including for purposes related to organ removal, in an attempt to contain this crime that preys on the bodies of the poor.
