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April 2004 Leader of an Egyptian antiquities smuggling ring sentenced The leader of an Egyptian antiquities smuggling ring that shipped at least 300 pharaonic and other artefacts to Europe was sentenced today to 35 years in prison, an AFP correspondent said. Twenty-five other members of the gang, including nine foreigners, were sentenced by the Cairo criminal court from one to 20 years in jail, although some were tried in absentia and are on the run. Among them were a customs officias, two police colonels and officials with the Supreme Council of Antiquities from Luxor. The ringleader, Tareq Suissi, a businessman and senior official with the National Democratic Party, was arrested and expelled from the ruling party. He was convicted of stealing, hiding and smuggling precious artifacts from the pharaonic, Islamic and Coptic Christian periods to Switzerland and France, as well as bribing officials and falsifying documents. He was also convicted of possessing drugs and weapons and money laundering. Swiss authorities have informed Egypt they will return to Egypt some 300 artifacts, including statues, masks, and two mummies they found in a warehouse in the free zone at Geneva Airport. Herald Sun, April 30, 2004
41 pre-Columbian artifacts returned U.S. officials returned to Peru 41 pre-Columbian artifacts. Worth more than $1 million, these were seized during three investigations. Most of the loot was discovered after undercover agents last year arrested an Arlington, Virginia man who was trying to sell artifacts on the black market. In the second case, a Colorado man had purchased pre-Columbian materials from a looter in Peru and concealed them in his rock-climbing gear. Another item was seized from a Californian man who is now a fugitive. The Washington Post, April 30, 2004
Jain goddess was recovered A 13th century old idol of a Jain goddess was recovered by Ahmedabad crime branch from a gang of antique smugglers, alleged to have links abroad. The idol, stolen in 1999 from the Adhbhutnath temple in Nagda village near Udaipur, Rajasthan, exemplifies the art and religious practices prevalent at the time. It is valued at Rs 9 crore in the international market. Times News Network, April 11, 2004
French customs seized prehistoric artifacts More than 5,000 stone arrowheads and 90 carved stone artifacts, dating back 5,000 years, were found in the baggage of a passenger who arrived on a flight from Niger's capital, Niamey. The passenger, a 42-year-old man from Mali, initially told customs officials at Roissy airport outside Paris that the items were found in the desert in Niger. Such items were often "uncovered by sand storms after being hidden for thousands of years, which would explain their excellent state", a French Culture Ministry official said. BBC, April 9, 2004
Phoenix Ancient Art The owners of Phoenix Ancient Art, Ali and Hicham Aboutaam, said their father, Sleiman Aboutaam, who died in 1998, had bought the three steles and never said who the seller was. The brothers said they were unaware that the steles had been looted. The New York Times. Friday, April 2, 2004 We thank the Museum Security Network Mailinglist and Cultural Property Protection Net Mailinglist for their work. |
