Scandal in the crime scene: real hair theft with fatal consequences in Zurich!

Scandal in the crime scene: real hair theft with fatal consequences in Zurich!

Real hair - a dazzling business that not only transforms hairstyles, but also hides dark stories. On June 15, 2025, the “Tatort” team will present a gripping episode entitled “Rapunzel” that revolves around the lucrative trade in real hair. Tobias Ineichen directs, while Adrian Illien wrote the script. Isabelle Grandjean and Tessa Ott shine in the main roles, playing two young women who break into a wig factory in Zurich and steal real hair worth 100,000 francs. However, the hunt for this valuable commodity leads into a web of entanglements and tragedies.

While the episode's plot raises the pulse of viewers, it also takes a fascinating look at the global human hair market. According to the Frankfurter Neue Presse, the global wigs and extensions market was approximately $6.13 billion in 2021, with a forecast of $11.8 billion by 2030. Most notably, two-thirds of hairpieces sold in the United States are made of human hair.

The Way of the Temple Hair

Where does all that hair come from? A large proportion come from India, where believers sacrifice their hair in temples such as the famous Tirupati Temple. There the hair is donated as part of a ritual intended to bring health and wealth. P. Rangaraju, a temple hairdresser, performs up to 50 tonsures daily, making the temple one of the largest suppliers of hair in the world, as the South German newspaper reported. The human hair trade is currently flourishing as it is in high demand for hair extensions and wigs.

But there are not only bright sides to the business: reports talk about illegal practices in which women are forced to have their hair cut. Escalating prices due to new market entrants are exacerbating the situation for many who have to make a living from this trade. Women from poorer countries often sell their hair to secure their livelihood. Like Sumati Jayapathi, who sacrificed her hair in the Palani temple to finance her dream of owning her own house GEO is to be read.

Threats and blackmail in the hair trade

In “Tatort: ​​Rapunzel” it becomes clear that it is not just about hair quality, but also about the dark business that is associated with it. The investigators come across invoices from the hair dealer Majestic Hair, which processes non-kosher hair for Jewish Orthodox wigs. This leads to blackmail and conflict when Heinrich Vogel kidnaps Lynn Fischer as an act of revenge. Unfortunately, it turns out that Vanessa, who was also involved in the machinations, dies tragically.

Given the growing demand and dangerous practices, the trade in human hair is becoming increasingly complex. Viewers can look forward to an exciting episode that will be broadcast on June 15th before “Tatort” goes on a summer break. The next new cases will be seen from September 7th. The dazzling world of human hair reminds us that behind beauty there is often a tough business.