New documentary premieres 9 December
Seizure, a powerful new documentary short film offering an undercover look at the fight against wildlife trafficking, will premiere 9 Dec. 2025 at 19:00 CET on the Wildlife Justice Commission YouTube channel. Produced by Wildlife Justice with support from the Dutch Postcode Lottery, Seizure pulls back the curtain on wildlife trafficking. The 20-minute film, directed by investigator and filmmaker Matt Durrant, follows a Wildlife Justice investigation into the trafficking of pangolin scales—one of the world’s most sought-after wildlife products.
Spanning continents—from Australia to Asia and Africa—Seizure documents the work of WJC’s investigators, analysts, and undercover operatives as they track and expose the criminal networks behind the illegal wildlife trade. Led by former police detective Steve Carmody, the film shows the real-time race to target high-level traffickers and disrupt transnational criminal networks. By offering an unfiltered look into a trafficking case in Southeast Asia, Seizure demonstrates that wildlife crime is a serious and highly organised form of transnational crime—and must be addressed as such.
At its core, Seizure is a call for awareness and action. The film illustrates how—through targeted, intelligence-led investigations and partnerships with local authorities—Wildlife Justice is transforming wildlife crime from a low-risk, high-reward enterprise into one where the risks outweigh the rewards. As Seizure makes clear, wildlife crime cannot be tackled in isolation. Success demands global cooperation, intelligence sharing, and coordinated enforcement across jurisdictions.
Wildlife trafficking, valued at an estimated USD 23 billion annually, is the fourth largest form of organised crime in the world. Driven by demand for traditional medicine, luxury items, status symbols, and the exotic pet market, this illicit industry produces devastating impacts that extend far beyond conservation. It threatens global biodiversity, undermines governance, fuels corruption, destabilises communities, and endangers global health and security. Despite its vast scale and far-reaching consequences, this illicit trade often remains hidden.
By shining a light on what typically remains in the shadows, Seizure urges viewers to recognise wildlife trafficking as a serious organised crime that demands a global coordinated response.
Click here to sign up for the Seizure premiere!
