The main conclusion of the HOTT project’s first report, ‘Trafficking in human beings for the purpose of organ removal: a comprehensive literature review’ (hereafter: literature review), is that a literature study provides limited information and knowledge about the nature and incidence of the crime. The underlying report aims to fulfil gaps of knowledge highlighted in the literature review by presenting the results of interviews with patients who travelled abroad for paid kidney transplantations. The purpose of this study is to describe the process of the transplantation (how, where and by whom it was facilitated) and the perspectives, experiences, behaviors and motivations of these patients.