Interpol said that wildlife crime is now an industry worth more than US$20 billion a year, ranging from the movement of thousands of shark fins to banned ivory and primate meat. Demand for exotic pets drove seizures of live animals to a record high in 2025, the Interpol police agency said Thursday as it announced a clampdown that led to the interception of nearly 30,000 animals. In a month-long operation from September 15, law enforcement in 134 countries seized 6,160 birds, 2,040 tortoises, 1,150 reptiles, 208 primates, 46 pangolins, 10 “big cats” and 19,415 other wild animals, Interpol said in a statement.
Some 1,100 suspects were detained. “A shipment from Asia intercepted at a North American mail centre contained over 1,300 primate body parts, including bones, skulls, and other derivatives,” the statement said. Nearly 10,500 butterflies, spiders, and insects were also caught during Operation Thunder 2025, highlighting the variety of species targeted, according to Interpol.
“While live animal seizures reached a record high this year – driven largely by demand for exotic pets — most wildlife trafficking involved animal remains, parts and derivatives, often used in traditional medicine or speciality foods,” the Lyon-based agency said. “Estimates put the annual value of wildlife crime at US$20 billion, but the clandestine nature of the trade suggests that the real figure is likely much higher.” Interpol said there was “an escalating illicit trade” in bushmeat, the term used for wild animal meat. It said Belgian authorities intercepted “primate meat”, Kenyan officials seized over 400 kilogrammes of giraffe meat, and Tanzanian law enforcement recovered zebra and antelope meat and skins valued at US$10,000.
