Loot


Genre: Crime & Investigation, Spring 22


Duration: 8 x 60’


Year of Production: 2022


Production Company: EQ Media Rights


Commissioned By: SBS, Australia


Definition: HD


Tomb raiders, trafficking and blood treasure

Loot is a fascinating investigation into how the trade in stolen antiquities and art has become a major source of income for criminal syndicates, gangs, and terrorists across the globe. For example, when ISIS controlled Syria and northern Iraq, it’s estimated that each year the Islamic terror organisation pocketed US $150-200 million from the illicit trade in stolen artefacts. However, as the coveted merchandise produced by this illicit activity adorns the walls of the fabulously wealthy and occupies podiums in the world’s greatest museums, nobody wants to talk about it.

Precious ancient treasures torn out of the ground. Priceless art ripped from walls. It’s a modern tragedy, as the grandest of mankind’s achievements are reduced to little more than obscene commodities. Using a different case study, each episode of Loot looks at how and why everybody from Islamic State to the Chinese Triad have muscled in on the act, and why international law enforcement agencies are determined to shut it down, but often powerless to act.