Watch Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller

Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller is a documentary series produced by National Geographic Channel that explores the shadowy world of international trafficking in breathtaking detail. The show follows journalist Mariana van Zeller as she delves deep into the underground world of contraband trade, from black market organs to illegal wildlife, drugs, and guns. The series offers an unflinching look into the global supply chains of illicit commodities and the unique cultures that enable them to flourish.

Mariana van Zeller is the star of the series and serves as both the narrator and guide, drawing upon her years of experience in investigative journalism and conflict reporting to confront the many challenges that come with exploring the seedy underbelly of global commerce. With her unassuming presence, but sharp mind, van Zeller seeks out sources of information on trafficking networks, carefully piecing together each aspect of the trade and building textured portraits of those involved in it. Van Zeller’s reporting is meticulous, thorough, and empathetic, allowing her to gain the trust of those she interviews, and give an unparalleled sense of the lives, motivations, and stories of people on all sides of this illicit industry.

The series is structured around a set of themes that are explored across multiple episodes. For instance, early episodes delve into the supply chains of contraband organs, revealing how valuable human body parts are trafficked and traded worldwide, with victims both unaware of and desperate for the consequences of selling their organs while profiteers profit huge amounts of money. The show also explores the world of illegal wildlife trafficking, which van Zeller demonstrates to have more significant implications than most realize for the survival of various endangered species. The series also includes an episode that focuses on the role of cartels and gangs in the drug trade, exploring how trafficking has evolved over the years, and how organizations like the Sinaloa cartel have come to dominate the global drug trade.

Van Zeller goes undercover in every episode, meeting with and interviewing people at the heart of the shadowy underground trade in each of her areas of investigation. She explores the hidden markets, infiltrates smuggling rings, and speaks with the traffickers themselves, painting a vivid picture of the clandestine operations under the radar of the law. Along the way, viewers are provided with a comprehensive understanding of the different links in the trafficking chains, including the people involved in the business, the buyers, and the enablers.

The show’s highly skilled camera team ensures that every shot is stunningly realized, with close-ups of the operations, and action shots of dramatic moments, heightening the tension viewers feel as they cross borders and enter the world of traffickers. The team’s work is complemented by the powerful use of music to create a heightened sense of drama throughout each episode.

In addition to van Zeller’s on-the-ground work, the series takes on the bigger-picture issues and broader events behind each aspect of trafficking. Episodes include input from a range of experts who are involved in fighting these trades worldwide. Bringing the perspective of those on the forefront of these efforts, the show provides an education that cannot be found elsewhere. Among those featured are law enforcement officers who are leading the fight against cartels, medical professionals who shed a light on the dark side of the black market organ trade, and environmentalists who are working to save endangered species from extinction.

Overall, Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller serves as an essential wake-up call for the entire audience. By shining a light on the complex and ever-evolving landscape of the trafficking trade, it provides an essential education on this vital global issue. Van Zeller’s razor-sharp and empathetic reporting, combined with the visual mastery of the team, deliver an unmissable viewing experience that is both eye-opening and riveting. The sheer depth and importance of each episode are compelling and illustrate how critical it is to understand the systems leading to the trafficking of compromised humans, animals, and goods. The show can be deeply moving and emotional to watch, but also impossible to look away from or forget.

Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller is a series that ran for 4 seasons (38 episodes) between December 2, 2020 and on National Geographic Channel